104-year-old man sets European record as oldest person to complete 100-meter 'dash'


Stanislaw Kowalski stepped to the starting line Monday night of the track at the Municipal Stadium, in Wroclaw, Poland.
The starting gun sounded, and Kowalski took off. A zippy 32.79 seconds later, Kowalksi had himself a European record as the oldest individual to complete the 100-meter dash. The 104-year-old pensioner said afterward, "I feel like a new man," reported Yahoo 7. (For reference: Usain Bolt's world-record 100-meter time is 9.58 seconds. Still, you try running the straightaway of a track, see how quick you are, then add however many years you would need to be 104 and try it again.)
Kowalski takes the title from a Japanese man who completed the race at 96 years old, and he credited his impressive health and fitness to "never going to the doctors." See, mom?
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Watch Kowalski's surging start and endurance-filled finish, starting at 4:38 in the video below. --Sarah Eberspacher
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Sarah Eberspacher is an associate editor at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked as a sports reporter at The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus and The Arizona Republic. She graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
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