Did you know there was track and field for age groups all the way up through 90-year-olds? I confess I did not, and I really wish I’d known long before today, because this is absolutely awesome.
Centenarians reach new heights on Day 2 of USATF Masters Indoor Championships
RECAP: https://t.co/fBxx8LKrYn pic.twitter.com/3ch9wO1Xw6— USATF (@usatf) March 18, 2018
At the USATF Masters Indoor Championships, there are plenty of fun moments to choose from, but let’s focus on one race, the men’s 60-meter dash for the 90-104 age group. It’s legitimately inspiring, and you’re going to see a few feats here worth noting, though one is likely going to jump out:
🚨🚨 World Record Alert! 🚨 🚨
100-year-old Orville Rogers (lane 2) set a new age group record in the men's 60m in 19.13 at USATF Masters Indoor Championships! #USATFmasterstrack pic.twitter.com/A3QuZz1iPZ
— USATF (@usatf) March 17, 2018
The guy dusting the field in 11.73 seconds was 90-year-old Edward Cox, who came up a tenth of a second short of the American age group record, and was within a second of the world record in the 90-94 group. I’m a 30-year-old in average shape, and I want no part of Edward in a race.
But a less visible achievement if you don’t know what to look for: Orville Rogers, who ran from lane 2 (in the blue). Orville was gunning for the record in the 100-104 age group, which was 27.29 for both the US and world record. Orville is 100 damn years old, and he finished in 19.13 seconds. He took it down by 8 seconds! That’s a 30% improvement, give or take, and it’s a mark that’s likely to stand for some time, presumably unless Orville laces em up again.
I would watch hours of this. For example, here’s 102-year-old Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins demolishing the record in her age group too:
Fitness goals.
(via @usatf) pic.twitter.com/fwOjj1DvDq
— ESPN (@espn) March 17, 2018
She also sounds awesome!
All the way from Baton Rouge, Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins descended on USATF Masters Indoor Championships to attempt a historic feat. The 102-year-old who famously said “I missed my nap for this,” at last year’s Outdoor Championships, made her Indoors debut with lively fervor. Hawkins set a pending world record in the W100 60m in 24.79, overtaking contemporary Ida Keeling’s February attempt in 58.34. Hawkins didn’t stop at track events and took her talents to the indoor shot put, where she set another world record at 2.77m/9-1.25.
I would watch hours of this.
[USATF]
