World of the Bizarre

105-year-old sets new world sprint record

By T.K. Randall
September 28, 2015 ·  6 comments

Miyazaki could represent a future in which people stay healthier for longer. Image Credit: CC BY 2.0 tableatny Nicknamed 'Golden Bolt' in homage to his world famous Olympic counterpart, Miyazaki this week succeeded in breaking his own record by running the 100m sprint in just over 42 seconds.

While it isn't as fast as his previous record of 29.83 for a person over the age of 100, the fact that he completed the race at all means that he is officially the oldest competitive sprinter in the world.

"I wanted to shave off a few more seconds, as I ran it in 36 seconds during training," he told reporters following the competition which was held in Kyoto, Japan.Weighing just 42kg and still more physically active than many people a fraction of his age, Miyazaki's remarkable feats of old age fitness and endurance have seen him being branded a medical miracle.

Incredibly, the 105-year-old only took up running at the age of 90.

"The doctors are all surprised. It's all about being in good health," he said. "The doctors gave me a medical examination a couple of days ago and I'm fit as a fiddle."

"My brain might not be the sharpest but physically I'm tip-top. I've never had any health problems. The doctors are amazed by me. I can definitely keep on running for another two or three years."


Source: The Guardian | Comments (6)

Tags: Hidekichi Miyazaki, Old Age, Sprinting