How to Be a Better Human
How to Be a Better Human

Summer Fridays: Lessons from 102-year-old swimmer Maurine Kornfeld (re-release)

August 7, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Maurine Kornfeld, known as "Mighty Mo," didn't start swimming seriously until her sixties. She only joined a master's swim team because she wanted to swim on a Saturday morning and the pool was closed to everyone except competitive swimmers. She bluffed her way onto the team, telling the coach she'd been competing "not long" and that her stroke was "none in particular." Now, at 102, she still swims almost every day, holds dozens of world records, and is in the International Swimming Hall of Fame. But as she tells her friend and interviewer Chris Duffy, she doesn't really care about the competitive part. What she cares about is the feel of the water, the people, and the way swimming "washes all the nonsense out for the moment."

What swimming actually teaches

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (02:04) **Host Introduction and Context** - Chris Duffy introduces the episode as a re-release from the archive, explains the "Better Human Summer Fridays" series, and shares that this was the season three finale.
  • 2 (03:16) **Meet Maureen "Mighty Mo" Kornfeld** - Chris introduces his friend Mo, a 101-year-old world-record-holding swimmer who started competing seriously in her sixties.
  • 3 (10:39) **What Mo Gets From Swimming** - Mo explains that she values the feel of the water, the community, and the mental health benefits far more than competition.
  • 4 (13:06) **Life Lessons from the Water** - Mo shares that swimming has taught her persistence, the value of routine, discipline, and that you win some and lose some.
  • 5 (14:41) **Mo's Community and Kindness** - Chris describes Mo as a local celebrity known for making every swimmer feel special, with multiple pools claiming her as their own.
  • 6 (16:35) **Mo's Philosophy on Relationships** - Mo admits she cares about people and helping them find what they need, but deflects praise for her community-building.
  • 7 (17:16) **Mo's Early Life and Education** - Chris narrates key biographical details: born in 1921 in Great Falls, Montana, raised during the Depression with two older brothers and a family that valued laughter.

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Guests on this episode

Chris Duffy

Show Notes

Maurine “Mighty Mo'' Kornfeld will soon turn 102 years old, and most days, you can catch her doing laps in a Los Angeles public swimming pool. And that’s not just because she regularly competes in – and wins – world swimming championships! It’s because she loves being in the water, despite only picking up swimming as a hobby well into her sixties. In this special episode, Maurine shares what she’s learned from doing something she loves almost every day, why it’s never too late to start something new, and the three things anyone can do to improve their life, no matter their age. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts


(This episode originally aired in 2023 when Mighty Mo was 102 years old. Mighty Mo is still swimming and will soon turn 106 years old in November!)


For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts


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