Ohio woman turns 90, celebrates on roller coaster

In this photo provided by Kings Island, Thelma Gratsch, center,... — In this photo provided by Kings Island, Thelma Gratsch, center, celebrates her 90th birthday by riding her favorite roller coaster, Diamondback, at Kings Island amusement park in Mason, Ohio. (July 13, 2012) Credit: AP

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSJuly 13, 2012

An Ohio woman has spent her 90th birthday doing one of her favorite things: whizzing around the tracks of a roller coaster at 80 mph.

The Kings Island amusement park says Thelma Gratsch took a ride on the Diamondback coaster to celebrate her milestone birthday on Friday. The 230-foot-high steel ride is the tallest and fastest coaster at the park near Cincinnati.

The Mount Lookout woman guesses she's ridden the Diamondback more than 100 times since it debuted in 2009.

Park officials believe she's the oldest guest to have taken a spin on the ride. Gratsch has had a Kings Island season pass every year since they were introduced in 1979.

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