Daylight saving time: You hate it when you lose an hour of sleep in March, and love when you gain the hour back in November. This past Sunday, Nov. 2, our clocks turned back, and we attained that beloved hour. What if athletes could also ‘turn back the clock’ on their careers? Often, as sports stars age, they lose the athleticism they once had in their younger prime—but some athletes have withstood the test of time. In celebration of daylight saving time, here are the top athletes who have shown that, despite their age, they can “turn back the time” and still put up elite performances against younger competition. 

Tennis: Venus and Serena Williams

Both household names, the Williams sisters have dominated tennis for decades. Venus and Serena have done it all, winning a combined 30 Grand Slam singles titles. As a duo, they have won three Olympic gold medals and 14 doubles titles. 

Last July, at 45 years old, Venus became the second-oldest player ever to win a Women’s Tennis Association tour singles match, defeating 22-year-old Peyton Stearns. Despite their 23-year age gap, Venus dominated the game, winning in two sets. Similarly, during the 2022 US Open, Serena pulled off a major upset, beating the globally-ranked number two player Anett Kontaveit. Serena, who was 41 at the time, is 15 years older than Kontaveit, who was 26 and in her prime. While Venus is 45 and Serena is turning 44, Venus continues to compete despite Serena’s retirement in 2022, showing that age is just a number—even at tennis’s highest level.

Football: Tom Brady

Known as the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) of football, quarterback Tom Brady has not only achieved all one can in the National Football League (NFL) as its most decorated player ever, but continued to do so late into his career. Brady did not retire from the NFL until he was 45, even coming back to play another year after he initially announced his ‘retirement’ in 2021. 

At age 43, Brady led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to his seventh career Super Bowl championship victory. In his decisive 31-9 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, Brady had an age advantage over opposition quarterback Patrick Mahomes of 18 years and 45 days.

Soccer: Marta

Marta Viera da Silva (Marta), regarded as ‘The Queen’ of soccer, has been critical to the success of her home nation Brazil on the international stage and is historically one of the best to ever play around the world. Still in the game at age 39, she has participated in six World Cups and six Olympic Games, scoring 122 goals. 

Despite initially ‘retiring’ from international soccer after the 2024 Olympic Games, Marta returned to play for Brazil in the 2025 CONMEBOL Copa América Femenina, a tournament between South American nations. Playing alongside many of her teammates who were a full decade younger than her, she was the star. In Brazil’s final against Colombia, Marta scored two goals in extra time to secure Brazil’s victory as the champion of the continent. 

Hockey: Jaromír Jágr

A hockey legend, Jaromír Jágr continues to play professionally at 53 years old. Originally from the Czech Republic, Jágr was drafted into the National Hockey League (NHL) by the Pittsburgh Penguins in 1990. Throughout his NHL career, Jágr recorded 756 goals and 1135 assists, making him second on the all-time NHL points leaderboard. 

Jágr played in the NHL until 2018, 28 years after he was first drafted. Today, he continues to play in the Czech Extraliga, the highest-level league in the Czech Republic, for Rytíři Kladno. His last feature was on Oct. 17 against HC Vítkovice, showing that despite his age, Jagr still competes at the top level. 

Ultimately, these athletes have taught us that skill does not have to come at the expense of age. Just as our clocks turn back every November, we are reminded of the stars who have done the same with their careers, proving that star power in the most elite players can trump the effects of growing older.