Julia Hawkins Feb. 10, 1916 -- 0ct. 15, 2024 Centenarian Runner

October 25, 2024 2:27 PM

She’s 103 and Just Ran the 100-Meter Dash. Her Life Advice? ‘Look for Magic Moments’

Even though she had never competed on a track, Ms. Hawkins said that her children wanted to see how fast she could sprint.

Her inexperience did not show.

She ran 50 meters in a speedy 19 seconds at the Louisiana Senior Olympic Games, winning first place in her age group by default, as she was the only competitor over 100.

In fact, she is believed to be the oldest woman ever to compete in a sanctioned track event in the United States, according to the National Senior Games Association, which administers sports competitions for people over 50.

“I thought it would be neat to do it at 100,” she said, “and it was neat.”

posted by y2karl (9 comments total)

Looks like the links are dead.
posted by cultcargo at 2:41 PM on October 25, 2024

1st: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/23/sports/julia-hawkins-dead.html
2nd: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/20/sports/julia-hawkins-running.html
posted by drewbage1847 at 2:50 PM on October 25, 2024 [1 favorite]

NPR's got it, too, with some tape.

I'm only 59, but I think about this. If I can just keep moving ... I don't need to set records, but I'd like to keep moving.

Thanks for this!

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posted by allthinky at 2:53 PM on October 25, 2024 [2 favorites]

I don't know what happened with the links but thank you so so much, drewbage1847.
posted by y2karl at 3:13 PM on October 25, 2024 [2 favorites]

See also ‘I wanted less than a minute’: 105-year-old unsatisfied after 100m world record
posted by y2karl at 3:21 PM on October 25, 2024 [1 favorite]

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posted by robbyrobs at 4:08 PM on October 25, 2024

Recipe for living a long long time:

Take care of a monkey, an alligator, an armadillo, turtles, snakes and bunnies.
posted by kozad at 4:52 PM on October 25, 2024 [2 favorites]

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posted by HearHere at 4:00 AM on October 27, 2024

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posted by filtergik at 6:16 AM on October 27, 2024