In the

sport of athletics Athletics is a group of sporting events that involves competitive running, jumping, throwing sports, throwing, and walking. The most common types of athletics competitions are track and field, road running, cross country running, and racewalking ...

centenarian A centenarian is a person who has reached the age of 100 years. Because life expectancies worldwide are below 100 years, the term is invariably associated with longevity. In 2012, the United Nations estimated that there were 316,600 living cente ...

competitors were recorded in the early 20th century, and have become increasingly common in the 21st century. This has occurred during a period of

population ageing Population ageing is an increasing median age in a population because of declining fertility rates and rising life expectancy. Most countries have rising life expectancy and an ageing population, trends that emerged first in developed countries b ...

and increased

longevity The word " longevity" is sometimes used as a synonym for "life expectancy" in demography. However, the term ''longevity'' is sometimes meant to refer only to especially long-lived members of a population, whereas ''life expectancy'' is always d ...

in wealthy countries, alongside a corresponding development of

masters track and field Masters athletics is a class of the sport of athletics for athletes of over 35 years of age. The events include track and field, road running and cross country running. Competitors are bracketed into five-year age groups (which promotes fair comp ...

competitions, such as the

Senior Olympics The National Senior Games (Senior Olympics) are a sports competition for senior citizens in the United States. It is conducted by the National Senior Games Association (NSGA) once every two years. Akin to the Summer Olympics, it is a multi-spo ...

and the

World Masters Athletics Championships The World Masters Athletics Championships are the biennial championships for masters athletics events held under the auspices of World Masters Athletics, formerly called the World Association of Veteran Athletes, for athletes 35 years of age or o ...

. Stanisław Kowalski and Hidekichi Miyazaki at age 105 are two of the oldest centenarian masters track and field athletes. Orville Rogers (age 100) stated, “I love the thrill of preparation and training,” he told ''Runner’s World''. “When I compete, I am not just running against the people out on the track at that moment, I am running against everyone who has run the event before me. That is gratifying to me.”

List of centenarians track and field athletes

American men and women

John Whittemore John Whittemore (November 20, 1899 – April 13, 2005) was an American centenarian from Montecito, California, Montecito, California, who was previously credited as being the "world's oldest athlete" (held until June 28, 2015, before being surp ...

at age 104 is one of the oldest American centenarian men's masters track and field athlete.

Julia Hawkins Julia is usually a feminine given name. It is a Latinate feminine form of the name Julio and Julius. (For further details on etymology, see the Wiktionary entry "Julius".) The given name ''Julia'' had been in use throughout Late Antiquity (e.g ...

(age 105) competed in the 100 meter dash on Nov 6, 2021. The race was held at the Nov 6, 2021 Louisiana Senior Games at the Southeastern University’s track in Hammond, LA.WGNO News, Nov 6, 2021

Retrieved Nov 6, 2021 Numerous Centenarians have competed at the

USATF Masters Outdoor Championships The USATF Masters Outdoor Championships is an annual track and field competition which serves as the national championship for the United States for athletes in masters age groups. Organized by USA Track & Field, the national governing body for ...

and the

USATF Masters Indoor Championships The USATF Masters Indoor Championships is an annual track and field competition which serves as the national indoor championship for the United States for athletes in masters age groups. Organized by USA Track & Field, the national governing body ...

. At the outdoor USA Championships,

Orville Rogers Orville Curtis Rogers (November 28, 1917 – November 14, 2019) was an American pilot, military veteran, and competitive runner. Early life Rogers was born to Stephen Alfred Rogers and Lillie Leona Johnston at home in Hubbard, Texas. The fami ...

(age 100 in 2018) and Julia "Hurricane" Hawkins (age 101 in 2017). At the indoor USA Championships Everett Hosack (ages 100 and 101) competed at the 2002 and 2003 meets,Boston Globe, Massachusetts, March 22, 2002

Retrieved Jan 20, 2021National Masters News, May 2002

Retrieved Jan 23, 2021Daily Record, Morristown, New Jersey, Mar 23, 2003

Retrieved Jan 26, 2021 LeLand McPhie (age 100) at the 2014 meet,Times of San Diego, Mar 17, 2014

Retrieved Jan 30, 2021Boston Globe, Massachusetts, March 23, 2014

Retrieved Jan 20, 2021 and

(100) and Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins (102) at the 2018 meet. As of 2020, no American centenarian have completed a combined event (decathlon or pentathlon). The USATF (American) Centenarian Award is presented periodically to outstanding athletes 100 years old and above. In 2017 Julia Hawkins received the award.

Centenarian media coverage

* 6 Feb 1995 Margaret White (age 100) was featured on

Sports Illustrated ''Sports Illustrated'' (''SI'') is an American sports magazine first published in August 1954. Founded by Stuart Scheftel, it was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the National Magazine Award for General Excellence twic ...

(SI) that she competed at the Jan 29, 1995 Sooner State Games (indoor) in the shot put. * 21 Feb 1995 Margaret White was featured on

The Jay Leno Show ''The Jay Leno Show'' is a talk show created and hosted by Jay Leno. Premiering on NBC on September 14, 2009, the program aired on weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ET/ PT through February 9, 2010. The program was modeled upon the format of a late ...

"as being the oldest shot-put person". She was also on

The Phil Donahue Show ''The Phil Donahue Show'', also known as ''Donahue'', is an American television talk show hosted by Phil Donahue that ran for 26 years on national television. Its run was preceded by three years of local broadcast on WLWD in Dayton, Ohio, and i ...

. * In 1998, Ben Levinson appeared on

The Howie Mandel Show ''The Howie Mandel Show'' is an American television variety show hosted by comedian Howie Mandel. The series was launched in daytime syndication on June 22, 1998, and ran for approximately a year before it was canceled in April 1999. Background ...

, CBS 48 Hours, and

after competing in the shot put at age 103. * Everett Hosack (100) competed at the

Penn Relays The Penn Relays (also Penn Relays Carnival) is the oldest and largest track and field competition in the United States, hosted annually since April 21, 1895 by the University of Pennsylvania at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. In 2012, there were ...

in 2002. Philadelphia Inquirer stated "... the oldest ever to run at the carnival enn Relay..." and "The crowd of 50,827 took to Hosack right away. He received a standing ovation ..." Later in 2002 Everett was a guest on

, "demonstrating his shot-putting prowess". * In 2003, Waldo McBurney ran the 100 meter at the World Masters Athletic Championship in San Jose, Puerto Rico. The paper reports, "... he competes to show people you can still perform at an old age". In 2004 the Hayes Daily News reported that he published a book "My First 100 Years: A Look Back from the Finish Line". * Santa Barbara Round Table reports John Whittemore, "Holds numerous Track & Field Records over 75-year-old Class". Book written by

Art Linkletter Arthur Gordon Linkletter (born Gordon Arthur Kelly or Arthur Gordon Kelly; sources differ; July 17, 1912 – May 26, 2010) was a Canadian-born American radio and television personality. He was the host of ''House Party'', which ran on CBS radio a ...

states, "... Whittemore has been competing in track and field - and setting records since his boyhood ... was working out with weights daily and still thinking about new records". * In 2015

(SI) reported, "100-year-old Frederick Winter of Holland, Mich., became the oldest man in National Senior Games history to complete the 100-meter dash". * Ida Keeling appeared on an

ESPN ESPN (originally an initialism for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network) is an American international basic cable sports channel owned by ESPN Inc., owned jointly by The Walt Disney Company (80%) and Hearst Communications (20%). The ...

story, writer states "won't be stopping anytime soon". * At the 2018 Masters National Indoor Track and Field Championship Orville Rogers (age 100) and Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins set 60 meter dash world records.

Runner's World ''Runner's World'' is a globally circulated monthly magazine for runners of all skills sets, published by Hearst in Easton, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Before its acquisition by Hearst, it was founded and published by Rodale, Inc. in E ...

coverage stated, "Two Centenarians Steal the Show at USATF Masters Indoor Championships". * June 2019

Express & Star The ''Express & Star'' is a regional evening newspaper in Britain. Founded in 1889, it is based in Wolverhampton, England, and covers the West Midlands county and Staffordshire. Currently edited by Martin Wright, the ''Express & Star'' publish ...

news (out of Wolverhampton, England) reports, "At 103, Julia Hurricane Hawkins has cemented her title as the oldest woman to compete on an American track after finishing the 50- and 100 meter dashes at the National Senior Games in New Mexico". * In 2020

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...

...

List of centenarians track and field athletes

American men and women

Centenarian media coverage

Centenarian videos

References

Further reading

External links