Last Sunday, 105-year-old Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins set a world record for the hundred-meter dash for women in the 105+ age category at the Louisiana Senior Games. However, despite her world-record-breaking performance at the race, where she recorded a time of 1:02:95, Hawkins had hoped to do even better.
“It was wonderful to see so many family members and friends. But I wanted to do it in less than a minute,” she said.
Hawkins has a long history of athletic excellence. When she was 80, she started competing at the National Senior Games, specializing in cycling time trials. During her time competing, she won a number of gold medals, but had to put an end to her cycling career because “there wasn’t anyone left [her] age to compete with.”
Instead, she decided to take up sprinting at the ripe age of 100. Not a stranger to setting records, Hawkins set the 100m world record for women over the age of 100 back in 2017, with a time of 39:62.
“I love to run, and I love being an inspiration to others,” Hawkins said after the race on Sunday. “I want to keep running as long as I can. My message to others is that you have to stay active if you want to be healthy and happy as you age.”
Image source: Mental Floss
