BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) A report says a 101-year-old runner from Louisiana has set the woman’s world record in the 100-yard dash for her age group.
The Advocate reports Julia Hawkins set the record in the 100-yard dash for women 100 and older, clocking 39.62 seconds at this year’s National Senior Games in Birmingham, Alabama. She also competed in the 50-yard dash, besting competitors as young as 90 while earning the nickname ”Hurricane” Hawkins.
Hawkins began competing in bicycling events in senior games at age 75 and took up running at her children’s urging. Her training regimen eschews sprinting and weights for bicycling around her Baton Rouge neighborhood and tending bonsai trees.