# List of centenarian masters track and field athletes

In the sport of athletics, centenarian 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 and increased longevity in wealthy countries, alongside a corresponding development of masters track and field competitions, such as the Senior Olympics and the World Masters Athletics Championships.
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

| Athlete | Peak age | Peak year | Nationality | Division | Event(s) | Achievements |
| Leslie Amey | 101 | 2001 | Australia | Men | Distance | Amey won gold at the 2001 World Championship in Brisbane |
| Nihal Gil | 101 | 2016 | Canada | Men | Sprints | Gil competed at the 2016 inaugural Americas Masters Games. |
| Sawang Janpram | 102 | 2022 | Thailand | Men | Sprints | Yahoo Sports states 102 years old running the 100 meter dash in a meet (26th Thailand Master Athletes Championship). Age needs to be verified. |
| Erwin Jaskulski | 100 | 2003 | Austria/ Ukraine/ United States | Men | Sprints | Feb 2002 National Masters News: listed as an Austrian citizen living in Honolulu. |
| Ilmari Koppinen | 105 | 2023 | Finland | Men | Field Events | DOB: Jan 8, 1918. Competed Jan 8, 2023 at the Ilmari Koppisen meet. |
| Stanisław Kowalski | 105 | 2016 | Poland | Men | Sprints, Discus | June 2015 Kowalski (age 105) competed in a sprint race. |
| Helge Lonnroth | 100 | 2017 | Finland | Men | Field | Lonnroth competed in the Javelin and Weight Throw at a meet in Finland July 2017. |
| Hidekichi Miyazaki | 105 | 2015 | Japan | Men | Shot Put | 23 Sept 2015 (one day after turning 105) Miyazaki competed in a sprint race. |
| Giuseppe Ottaviani | 103 | 2019 | Italy | Men | Sprints, Field | Ottaviani competed in the Long Jump in a meet in Italy Sept 2019. |
| Alfred Proksch | 100 | 2009 | Austria | Men | Field | Proksch competed at the 2009 World Masters Athletic Championships in the shot put and discus. |
| Philip Rabinowitz | 100 | 2005 | South Africa | Men | Sprints and Racewalk | Rabinowitz competed in the racewalk in a Mar 2005 meet in RSA. On 10 July 2004, entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the fastest 100-year-old to ever run the 100 meters, with a time of 30.86 seconds |
| Mario Riboni | 100 | 2013 | Italy | Men | Shot Put | Born 13 June 1913. |
| Takashi Shimokawara | 104 | 2010 | Japan | Men | Javelin | Shimokawara competed in the discus Sept 2010 in Japan. |
| Fauja Singh | 102 | 2013 | India & Great Britain | Men | Marathon | Singh last competed at the 2013 Hong Kong Marathon. |
| Ruth Frith | 102 | 2012 | Australia | Women | Field | Frith competed Feb 2012 in the Hammer at a meet in New Zealand. |
| Elfriede Fuchs | 100 | 2020 | Austria | Women | Shot Put | Fuch competed in AUT on 19 or 20 Sept 2020. Fuch born 26 Aug 1920. |
| Man Kaur | 103 | 2019 | India & Canada | Women | Sprints and Field | Kaur won gold at the 2017 World Masters Games in New Zealand. Kaur won gold in 200 m at 3:01.61 and SP at 2.21 at the Dec 2019 Asian Masters Championship in Malaysia. Man Kur was born 1 Mar 1916, and passed 31 July 2021 at age 105. |
| Winnifred Newall | 100 | 2023 | Australia | Women | Sprints | |
| Florence Mary Storch | 101 | 2014 | Canada | Women | Javelin | Storch won gold at the 28 Aug 2014 Senior Games at Sherwood Park, Strathcona County, Canada. She was born 10 June 1913. |
| Rambai | 105 | 2022 | India | Women | 100 Meter | Listed in Masters Rankings: July 2022 India: National Open Masters Athletics Championship in Vadodara, India. Born 1917. |

### American men and women

John Whittemore at age 104 is one of the oldest American centenarian men's masters track and field athlete. Julia Hawkins (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.
Numerous Centenarians have competed at the USATF Masters Outdoor Championships and the USATF Masters Indoor Championships. At the outdoor USA Championships, Orville Rogers (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, LeLand McPhie (age 100) at the 2014 meet, and Orville Rogers (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.
| Athlete | Peak age | Peak year | Nationality | Division | Event(s) | Achievements |
| Arnold Bing | 102 | 1993 | United States | Men | Sprints | 55 meter dash in 37.47 at indoor Minnesota meet on Jan 17, 1993. Masters age 102, "senior Olympics" age 103. |
| Raymonde Brown | 100 | 2023 | United States | Men | Racewalk | |
| Russell Clark | 103 | 2004 | United States | Men | Sprints | 50 & 200 Meter Dash Meet Record Huntsman Senior Games. 2004 Huntsman World Senior Games were held October. Born 19 Nov 1900. |
| Roy Englert | 100 | 2023 | United States | Men | Distance | |
| William Finch | 100 | 2012 | United States | Men | Distance | Finch held state (North Carolina) Senior Games records in the 800 & 1500 meter runs (M90 & M95) and 1500 meter (M100). |
| Jonathan Foulke | 107 | 1925 | United States | Men | Runner | 24 Sept 1925 in Los Angeles, a centenarian runner Jonathan Foulke (107 years old) won a foot race (distance and time are unknown). Foulke was born 3 Dec 1817. |
| Everett Hosack | 101 | 2003 | United States | Men | Sprints, Field | USATF Masters Hall of Fame Hosack competed at the 2003 Penn Relays. Dec 2004 Hosack was voted Masters Track and Field M100 athlete of the year. |
| Robert Jones | 101 | 2015 | United States | Men | Field | Jones competed at the June 2015 Tennessee Senior Games at Franklin, TN. |
| James A Kales | 100 (99) | 2014 | United States | Men | Field | Competed at August 2014 Michigan Senior Olympics. Competed as M100 at age 99 under Senior Games rules. Born 24 Sept 1914. |
| R Leonard Krause | 100 | 2021 | United States | Men | Field | Competed at Washington State Games in SP & DT July 2021. |
| Tom Lane | 100 | 1994 | United States | Men | Field | Born 21 June 1894. Died 18 Aug 1997. Lane competed at the 10 Sept 10 1994 Cal Senior Games in San Diego. Lane lived in San Diego. Lane was legally blind since 1988. |
| Trent Lane | 101 | 2011 | United States | Men | Field | Born 28 March 1910. Lane competed at the June 2011 Senior Games in Houston, Texas. |
| Ben Levinson | 103 | 1998 | United States | Men | Shot Put | American M100 athlete (age 103) competed in the shot put at the Nike World Games (Eugene, Oregon) on Aug 11, 1998. From Los Angeles, California, he was later interviewed by Jay Leno on the Tonight Show. |
| Larry Lewis | 102 | 1969 | United States | Men | Sprints | Lewis ran exhibition 100 yard dash in 17.8 at Cox Stadium June 1968 (age 101), and an exhibition 17.3 at Cox Stadium June 1969 (age 102). These marks were never ratified. Lewis was born in the summer of 1867. |
| Waldo McBurney | 100 | 2003 | United States | Men | Sprints, Field | Dec 2003 McBurney was voted American Masters Track and Field M100 athlete of the year. |
| Leland McPhie | 100 | 2014 | United States | Men | Field | Won gold medals in the weight throw, superweight throw and shot put in March 2014. |
| E. Gerald Meyer | 100 (99) | 2019 | United States | Men | Sprints | Meyer won four gold medals at a 2019 Senior Games. |
| D Paul Miller | 100 (99) | 2017 | United States | Men | Sprints, Field | Miller captured four gold medals at a June 2017 Senior Games. Miller age 99 competing under Senior Games rules competed with the M100 group. |
| Donald Pellmann | 100 | 2015 | United States | Men | Sprints, Field | USATF Masters Hall of Fame |
| John Pugh | 100 | 2013 | United States | Men | Field | Pugh's last competition was in 2013 in Cleveland, Ohio, when he won gold medals in the 100-year-old category in the shot put, and discus. |
| Orville Rogers | 100 | 2018 | United States | Men | Sprints, Distance | USATF Masters Hall of Fame |
| Fordie Ross | 100 | 2014 | United States | Men | Field | Ross' last competing was at a 2014 Senior Games. |
| George Rowswell | 101 | 2018 | United States | Men | Field | Rowswell last competed at a 2018 Senior Games (gold medal in the shot put). |
| John Whittemore | 104 | 2004 | United States | Men | Field | Whittemore competed (Javelin) at the Oct 2004 Club West meet in Santa Barbara. |
| Lester Wright Sr | 100 | 2022 | United States | Men | Sprints | Wright completed the 100 meter dash at the 2022 Penn Relays. |
| Frederick Winter | 102 | 2017 | United States | Men | Sprints, Field | Winter was the first M100 American / Senior Games to complete a 100 meter dash in Minneapolis at their 2015 Senior Games. |
| John Zilverberg | 103 | 2017 | United States | Men | Field | Zilverberg (born 2 Aug 1913) won gold medal at the 2015 South Dakota Senior Games. He competed at 103 at the 2017 Senior Games and won four T&F gold medals. |
| Ella Mae Colbert | 100 | 2016 | United States | Women | Exhibition 100 Meter | Exhibition 100 Meter dash, near Chesnee, South Carolina. |
| Diane Friedman | 100 | 2021 | United States | Women | Sprints, JT | Competed in the Sprints and JT at the Aug 15, 2021 Michigan Senior Games. |
| Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins | 105 | 2021 | United States | Women | Sprints, Shot Put | Hawkins competed at the June 2019 National Senior Games in the sprints. Julia Hawkins (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. Hawkins was born Feb. 10, 1916. |
| Ida Keeling | 102 | 2018 | United States | Women | Sprints | On April 30, 2016, Keeling became the first woman in history to complete a 100-meter run at the age of 100. Her time of 1:17.33 was witnessed by a crowd of 44,469 at the 2016 Penn Relays. On February 24, 2018, she set a world record in the 60-meter dash event at the Imperial Dade Track Classic, with a time of 58:34 in the 100 to 104 age group. |
| Margaret White | 100 | 1995 | United States | Women | Shot Put, Discus | Potentially the first American W100 athlete (age 100) competing 30 July 1994 in the shot put and discus. It appears that these marks were not submitted for ratification for records. White won gold at the 29 Jan 1995 Sooner State Games (indoor). Margaret White held the W95 world record in the SP. White won an American National "W95 Age Group" award in 1992. Margaret (Palmer) White (of Turpin, OK) was the mother of Masters Hall of Fame athlete Wendell Palmer (of Pampa, TX). |

## Centenarian media coverage

* 6 Feb 1995 Margaret White (age 100) was featured on Sports Illustrated (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 "as being the oldest shot-put person". She was also on The Phil Donahue Show.
* In 1998, Ben Levinson appeared on The Howie Mandel Show, CBS 48 Hours, and The Jay Leno Show after competing in the shot put at age 103.
* Everett Hosack (100) competed at the Penn Relays in 2002. Philadelphia Inquirer stated "... the oldest ever to run at the carnival [Penn 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 The Jay Leno Show, "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 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 Sports Illustrated (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 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 coverage stated, "Two Centenarians Steal the Show at USATF Masters Indoor Championships".
* June 2019 Express & Star 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 reports a story about the "Centenarian Olympics" featuring Julia "Hurricane" Hawkins and the benefits of continuing sports and other activities.

### Centenarian videos

* In 2018 at the Masters National Indoor Track and Field Championship Orville Rogers (age 100) and Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins set 60 meter dash world records. Both of the races were aired by CNBC sports: (link)
* Polish athlete Stanislaw Kowalski (age 104) set a (former) record for the 60 meter dash. Facebook video: (link)
* Sept 2015 a Times of San Diego story and video on Don Pellmann's record setting week (five records). (Link)
* In 2016 NBC Sports captured Ida Keeling (age 100) competing in the Penn Relays. Short video: (Link)
* At the 2016 Pan American Games in Vancouver, Canada, Man Kaur (age 100) race was captured on YouTube: (Link) At the same meet, in a Sports Illustrated story "when she crossed the finish line in Vancouver, her competitors - many of them in their 70s and 80s - were there to cheer her on", and Five-time Olympian Charmain Crook refer to her stating "I know that it's inspired me".
* In 2019 ESPN featured Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins (age 103) in a short video: (link)