A 95-year-old man smashed a 200m sprint record on Sunday – and was captured on video.
Dr Charles Eugster set a new world record in the 95 and over category at the British Masters Championships at Lee Valley Athletics Centre.
He ran the indoor 200m in just 55.48 seconds at the international competition, knocking two and a half seconds off of the previous record.
Amazingly, Dr Eugster only competed in his first athletics competition last summer. Before that he was a rower.
He said: “I’m absolutely delighted. It proves that you can set yourself challenges and goals at any age and achieve them.”
Dr Eugster, who was born in London and now lives in Switzerland, does two three-hour sessions in the gym every week, goes for runs in the forest and keeps a strict diet. He eats no sugar, and lots of meat and eggs. “He really likes eggs,” said his trainer Sylvia Gattiker.
Dr Eugster also holds the British Masters outdoor records for the 100m and 200m. He is now writing a book called ’95 and Loving It’, about “successful ageing”.
“You’re never too old to start something new,” he said. He blames lazy lifestyles for people’s illnesses and insists that he’s “not special”. “Anyone can do what I do.”
“People with sedentary lifestyles are suffering chronic diseases and if they did more exercise, and above all were working for longer they would be healthier and happier.”
All he wants now is for someone to employ him.
