Closing in on his 104th birthday, a twinkle-toed Japanese sprinter has thrown down the challenge to the world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt, telling him: “Let’s rumble!”
Hidekichi Miyazaki — who holds the 100m world record for centenarians at 29.83 seconds and is dubbed “Golden Bolt” after the Jamaican racer — plans to wait another five years for his dream race.
He was also happy to reveal his secret weapon: his daughter’s tangerine jam.
Photo: AFP
“I would love to race Bolt,” the wispy-haired Miyazaki said in an interview after crossing the line with a joyful whoop at a recent Japan Masters Athletics competition in Kyoto.
“I am keeping the dream alive. I try to stay in top shape and stay disciplined and healthy. That is important for everyone — even Usain Bolt.”
Born in 1910 — the year Japan annexed Korea and when the Titanic was still under construction — the pint-sized Miyazaki offered some dietary tips to Bolt, whose world record is 9.58 seconds.
“My body is small, so I take care of what I eat,” said Miyazaki, who stands just 1.53m tall and weighs in at 42kg.
“When I eat, I chew each mouthful 30 times before swallowing,” he added, loosening his Usain Bolt running shoes. “That makes my tummy happy and helps my running. And I eat my tangerine jam every day.”
In a country with one of the world’s highest life expectancies, Miyazaki is the poster boy for Japan’s turbo-charged senior citizens.
About 6,000 pensioners are registered at the Masters federation, which hosts more than 40 track-and-field meetings every year across the nation.
Serenaded by buzzing cicadas in sweltering heat, Miyazaki fell into the arms of his 73-year-old daughter, Kiyono, after clocking 38.35 — more than 20 seconds behind winner Yoshio Kita, a relative spring chicken at 82.
“I would give myself five out of 10 for that,” he said after regaining his breath and copying Bolt’s trademark “lightning” pose.
“Before I ran I curled up for a little nap — big mistake. I felt stiff... I am still young, so it is a learning process,” Miyazaki said, grinning widely as he put on a straw hat. “I can run for another five years.”
Miyazaki, who hails from tea-growing Shizuoka Prefecture, about 180km southwest of Tokyo, was a late bloomer, taking up running at the age of 92 after watching a senior citizens’ sports day broadcast on television.
Having become the planet’s fastest centenarian in 2010, he now has his sights on another milestone in the unlikely 105-109 age group category.
“That is what I’m training for,” said Miyazaki, who loses valuable seconds at the start of races because he cannot hear the gun go off. “It is my birthday next month and that is my next goal.”
He need only cross the finish line to set the new world record, as no official mark exists in that age class.
As Miyazaki left the track, 85-year-old Mitsue Tsuji tossed a shot put 4.73m — this after she had set a mark of 2.07m in the long jump. Not content, she set a meet record of 13.85 in the women’s 60m sprint.
“I started doing athletics when I was 81,” she said. “My husband had passed away and I thought there was no point in moping around at home alone.”
Tsuji is to join Miyazaki at next month’s Asia Masters championships in northeast Japan.
“I had a bit of a fall last year and was going to skip it,” said Tsuji, who credits power naps for her age-defying stamina. “However, my son told me I might not live much longer, so I will do as I am told. I will keep going as long as I am around.”
As the pair tore it up with the other high-fiving grannies and granddads in Kyoto, 78-year-old endurance runner Yoko Nakano pounded the streets in Tokyo, preparing for her latest world record tilt.
Nakano ran her first full marathon at 70 “for fun” while vacationing in Honolulu — clocking 4 hours, 4 minutes, 44 seconds — and now holds the world record for 75-to-79-year-olds, as well as in the 3,000m and 5,000m.
“We were on holiday, so I thought we might as well run,” she said smiling, perched on a tree stump in a canary yellow T-shirt and polka dot scarf.
Her world marathon mark now stands at 3:53.42.
The bespectacled Nakano, who has also run marathons in New York and Boston, bounced back from stomach surgery last year, building her post-op fitness by walking up and down the hospital corridors.
“I walked about seven kilometers a day inside the hospital,” she said. “I guess I am too stubborn to quit.”
Miyazaki, who is also handy with a shot put, gave an insight into his need for speed.
“I make sure not to use my brain,” he said. “I always keep it empty and uncluttered. That is important.”
Freddie Freeman homered and drove in four runs, Shohei Ohtani also went deep and Roki Sasaki earned his first major league win as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 10-3 on Saturday night for their seventh straight victory. The Dodgers have won the first two games of the series to improve to 5-0 against Atlanta this year. Los Angeles’ three-game sweep at home early in the season left the Braves 0-7. Sasaki allowed three runs and six hits over five innings. The 23-year-old right-hander gave up a home run to Ozzie Albies, but received plenty of offensive support in his
INTER AWAIT: Superb saves by PSG ’keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma inspired the victory, as Arsenal were punished for misses, including one by Bukayo Saka Arsenal on Wednesday fell short on the big stage again as their painful UEFA Champions League semi-final exit against Paris Saint-Germain left Mikel Arteta to rue his club’s failure to provide him with enough attacking options. Arteta’s side were unable to reach the Champions League final for the first time in 19 years as PSG clinched a tense 2-1 win at Parc des Princes. Trailing 1-0 from last week’s first leg in London, the Gunners made a blistering start to the second leg, but could not convert their chances as Gianluigi Donnarumma’s superb saves inspired PSG’s 3-1 aggregate victory. Arsenal were punished for
Bayern Munich on Sunday were crowned German champions for the 34th time, giving striker Harry Kane his first major trophy, after second-placed Bayer 04 Leverkusen drew 2-2 at SC Freiburg. Bayern’s 3-3 draw at RB Leipzig on Saturday, when the Bavarians came from two goals down to take the lead before conceding a stoppage-time equalizer, meant defending Bundesliga champions Leverkusen needed to win at Freiburg to delay the title party. Leverkusen were two goals down before scoring twice in the final 10 minutes, but Xabi Alonso’s side could not find a third, as Bayern reclaimed the title at the first attempt after
THRILLER: Raphinha gave Barca a 3-2 lead with two minutes remaining of regular time, but Francesco Acerbi equalized the game in the second minute of added time Davide Frattesi on Tuesday fired Inter into the UEFA Champions League final with an extra-time winner that gave the Italians a stunning 4-3 triumph over Barcelona, 7-6 on aggregate. Italy midfielder Frattesi won a tie for the ages under a downpour in Milan when he lashed home in the 99th minute, sending a packed and rocking San Siro wild with joy. Simone Inzaghi’s team will face either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain at the end of this month in Munich, Germany, where they would feel they have a great chance to be crowned kings of Europe for a fourth time after
RSS