'Esther you can do that': Perth woman, 75, smashes handstand record
Perth woman Esther Fischer has turned the record books upside down, becoming the world's oldest person to perform a handstand.
To break the world record, the 75-year-old retiree had to hold the stance for at least 15 seconds with no assistance.
To break the record, Esther Fischer needed to hold the stance for at least 15 seconds with no assistance. (ABC News: Lauren Smith)
On August 31, she did not just break the record - she smashed it.
"I did 55 seconds, not just 15," she said.
"If you Google me, who's the oldest person who can hold a handstand, my name comes up.
"It's kind of cool."
Ms Fischer said the idea was struck over a coffee with friends, after someone questioned who might have held such a record.
Their research told them it was a 74-year-old man from the United States.
"The girls said to me, 'Esther, you can do that,'" Ms Fischer said.
Esther Fischer took up her fitness journey later in life. (ABC News: Lauren Smith)
"And I looked at his handstands online on the Guinness Book of Records, and I thought, yeah, I can do that, I think."
Ms Fischer said that while she could already do a handstand, it was not something she mastered overnight.
"It took me three years," she said.
"It just took ages and ages and ages and one day I hit it.
"It was unreal."
Esther Fischer says her next challenge is to do a one-arm handstand. (ABC News: Lauren Smith)
Her accomplishment has inspired others to take on the challenge.
The gym where Ms Fischer has been a member for 10 years introduced a longevity class.
Gym owner Jacob Moffitt said the class is about helping people 60 and over get strong.
"[It improves] their quality of movement and their quality of life," he said.
Esther Fischer completed the feat in August but was only certified this week. (ABC News: Lauren Smith)
"Esther's one of the primary students of that class as well, and that's now attracted probably half a dozen [people] that come along to that class regularly."
Mr Moffitt said Ms Fischer is a good example that people can start at any time.
"She was never a gymnast, was never an athlete in her youth, she just started at 65 years old or 64, I think and then went from there," he said.
Ms Fischer said she is proud of her accomplishment but is already setting her mind to a new goal.
"I'm working on a one-arm [handstand]," she said.
Jacob Moffitt says Esther Fisher is a great example that exercise can start at any age. (ABC News: Lauren Smith)
"I've been doing that for two years now, and it's very hard.
"I could be the oldest person to do it, but I don't know whether it's going to work or not."
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