Season › 2013-14 › News Distin reaping rewards from focus and commitment Lyndon Lloyd , 9 February, 0comments | Jump to most recent Sylvain Distin says that while good genes have played a part in his age-defying form in recent years, his real secret is his focus and hard work in keeping himself in peak physical condition. The French defender is 36, yet he is rarely beaten for pace by opposition strikers and remains a first-choice central defender for Everton alongside Captain Phil Jagielka. As such, he is among the oldest outfield players in the Premier League and with his form showing no signs of diminishing, he has been rewarded with a new one-year contract for 2014-15. He discussed his longevity ahead of today's game against Tottenham admitting that, genetically, he had a head start, saying: "My dad is from Guadeloupe, in the West Indies. Over there, you grew up outside. Fresh food was all around you; fish, vegetables, fruit. There was no need for processed food so he grew up in the right way, on a good diet. "He is going to be 74 soon and still plays basketball every Friday. I've always been active, I was always active as a kid growing up in France, whether it was football, basketball or even climbing trees.' He insists that there is much more to his longevity at the top level. "It is a mix of thing," he continued. "I started with good genes from my parents but I also made a big decision when I turned 30 to work hard to keep what I've got. "Every summer, I take two weeks off my holiday to go to a training camp where I work two sessions a day, just to be ready physically when I come back to Everton for pre-season training. "During the season, I go to the gym every day unless we are playing or it's the day before a game. Is that luck? It is more about the work that I put in and I am getting the rewards for it now. "I don't do it for pleasure, that's for sure. It is something you have to do if you want to keep up after you pass a certain age. Strikers now are bigger, stronger, faster. You can't just cross your fingers and hope for the best against them." Quotes sourced from Daily Mail About these ads © ToffeeWeb