Meet World's Oldest Competitive Sprinter

105-year-old Hidekichi Miyazaki hopes to race Usain Bolt
By Michael Harthorne,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 24, 2015 5:00 PM CDT

A Japanese man, who calls himself a "medical marvel," set his third world record for being the oldest competitive sprinter yesterday—one day after turning 105, AFP reports. Hidekichi Miyazaki ran the 100-meter dash at the Kyoto Masters Athletics Autumn competition in 42.22 seconds, but he was shooting for 35, according to USA Today. "I started shedding tears during the race because I was going so slowly," he tells AFP. "Perhaps I'm getting old." Guinness World Records reports Miyazaki's feat is even more impressive because he only started running in his 90s after most of his board-game buddies passed away.

In addition to being the world's oldest competitive sprinter, Miyazaki holds the world record for fastest 100-meter dash for runners over 100 with a time of 29.83 seconds, AFP reports. That's about 20 seconds more than it takes Jamaica's Usain Bolt, one of Miyazaki's idols. Miyazaki, who boasts the nickname "Golden Bolt," hopes to one day compete against the famous sprinter. And it might happen. He tells AFP he thinks he has two or three more years of running in him. "I'm fit as a fiddle," he says. "The doctors are amazed by me." (More uplifting news stories.)

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