101-YEAR-OLD RUNNER SETS RECORD
A 101-year-old runner from Louisiana who just took up the sport a year ago has set a woman’s world record in the 100-yard dash for her age group, a newspaper reports. With a time of 39.62 seconds, Julia Hawkins established the record in the 100yard dash for women 100 and older at this year’s National Senior Games in Birmingham, Ala., The Advocate reported. Hawkins began her competitive athletic career at age 75, entering as a bicyclist in national and state senior games. Her athletic renaissance began at the urging of her children, who entered her in the sprint event at the Louisiana Senior Olympic Games. Hawkins plans to run once more, at the USA Track and Field Masters Outdoor Championships scheduled this month at LSU’s track. “At this age, you’re not getting better. You’re getting worse. You only have so many 100-yard dashes left. You have to save them.”