Sidney Breakin completed the Wimbledon Common Ultra 50km trail run in 9 hours, 28 minutes, beating the previous record for a centenarian by nearly nine and a half hours. The 104 year old, who only took up running thirty five years ago, was not just the first centenarian to beat the 10 hour bar, but also the first to register, participate, and run in the event
“I knew,” he said, “that if I showed up, there was a chance I would emerge the record holder for my age group.”
There was a slight delay in confirmation of the record as organizers scrambled to realize that no one over 90 had ever run the Wimbledon Common Ultra, which started this year, before.
Organizers were delighted that new best times were set in every age group. “This was the first event, so we were startled but delighted that records were seen across the board. It’s a real achievement and not in any way designed as a promotional gimmick to attract sponsor investment,” confirmed event founder Liz Barhmie, dressed in a rainbow design Uncle Bulgaria outfit.
Image: AxxLC - Pixabay