MyBESTRuns

105-Year-Old Julia Hawkins Sets World Record for Age Group in 100-Meter Run

It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Julia Hawkins!

The speedy 105-year-old known as the "Hurricane" ran 100 meters with a time of 1:02:95 at the Louisiana Senior Games in front of her adoring friends and family.

With the feat, Hawkins set a new world record by becoming the first female track and field athlete, and the first American, to set a track and field world record and establish an age 105 and older category, according to the National Senior Games.

"It was wonderful to see so many family members and friends," Hawkins said after the race, according to the organization. "But I wanted to do it in less than a minute."

When asked if she wanted to run the 100-meter race again, she told CBS News, "Yeah!"

This isn't the first time Hawkins has made headlines for her show of endurance.

At age 101, the former schoolteacher from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, won the 100-meter dash in a blazing 40.12 seconds at the USA Track and Field Outdoors Masters Championships.

"I love to run, and I love being an inspiration to others," Hawkins told reporters after Saturday's race.

"I want to keep running as long as I can," she added. "My message to others is that you have to stay active if you want to be healthy and happy as you age."

In 2019, Hawkins won two gold medals in the 50- and 100-meter dashes at the Senior Games in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

"I'm thrilled I did as well as I did but I didn't do as well as I have done," the mother of four told Good Morning America at the time. "I don't know if it's because I'm older, or maybe it was the atmosphere."

"Realize you can still be doing it at this kind of an age," she continued. "I just keep busy. I keep moving. I don't do any exercises particularly. I used to, but I don't think I need to anymore."

posted Thursday November 11th
by Jason Duaine Hahn