Oldest sprinter on record? Polish gent, 104, claims Euro record

Stanley had pacing help in his record attempt.

He doesn’t look a day over 90, but Poland’s Stanisław Kowalski, reportedly born in 1910, “has become the oldest person in Europe to run a 100m race – smashing the record previously held by a 96-year-old,” says one of several reports of his run Saturday. Says a correspondent: “Kowalski’s time is less than 3 seconds short of the world record in M100 (29.83 sec, from 2010) possessed by Hidekichi Miyazaki (Japan). With some efforts he may even threaten it.” Says Stan the Man: “I feel as if I was just born. I am not tired, and I can run more.” He said he hadn’t done special preparations for the record. “Every day he jogs or walks 10 km . He doesn’t take pills, and doesn’t visit doctors either. His advice is not to overeat, especially at nights.” I hope he can produce DOB records. But he’s doubling down by wearing 104 as a bib number. The only other 104-year-old sprinter I know of is South Africa’s Phillip Rabinowitz. And San Francisco waiter Larry Lewis reputedly did exhibition sprints at 106. Wish I knew Stan’s birthdate. See him run at end of video:

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May 12, 2014

8 Responses

  1. Tom Phillips - May 12, 2014

    And maybe he’d have been even faster if they hadn’t made him wait on the start line for so long?

  2. Roger Vergin - May 12, 2014

    Stanislaw looked good and ran like a man in good physical condition. While watching the video, I thought he was going to be 105 before they started the race. Hint — skip the first four minutes of the video.

  3. Matt B. - May 12, 2014

    Is there a 105 age group 100/200 record?

  4. Big Fan - May 12, 2014

    That was incredible.

    Now I’m pissed, in Poland it is beautiful with leaves on the trees, where I am there are no leaves yet, and it is a wet 47F outside.

  5. Weia Reinboud - May 12, 2014

    Not yet. That is: no one in that age category did track and field.

  6. Christine Gentile - May 12, 2014

    Absolutely amazing and very inspiring!!! I think the announcer wanted to speak for 104 years, keep this guy on the line forever and present a running profile longer than Carl Lewis’ accolades 🙂

  7. Ben Ami - May 13, 2014

    so muscular!

  8. Andrew Hecker - May 15, 2014

    Incredible. This guy looks ready to run, itching on the start line during all that long announcement and in another clip also running around stretching, energetic.

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