This 100-year-old man makes breaking world records look easy


A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
For most people, just living to 100 is the feat of a lifetime. But one 100-year-old didn't make it all the way to 100 just to lie around.
Don Pellmann, born in 1915, was a gymnast and high jumper before the Great Depression required him to get a job. Pellman appeared at the San Diego Senior Olympics last weekend to crush multiple athletic world records, The New York Times reports. In just a few hours, he broke the records in his age group for the 100-meter dash, shot-put, discus, high jump, and became the first centenarian to clear an official height in the high jump.
His secret? Depends whom you ask:
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
While kneading the muscles in Pellmann's legs, [athletic trainer Ardy] Riego said, "All I can say is his body is still functioning like a normal person's body, which is amazing."Pellmann has not had either knee replaced, and he cannot remember his last injury. "I guess I have pretty good genes," he said.Gary MacDonald, the track and field commissioner of the San Diego Senior Olympics, suspects that there is more to Pellmann's athletic longevity than that. MacDonald poked his head into the training room to check on Pellmann and offer him a bottle of water, which Pellmann waved off."Now I know how he got to be 100," MacDonald said, laughing. "Because he has an attitude." [The New York Times]
Read the entire story of Pellmann's incredible day at The New York Times.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
Exodus begins from Burning Man after desert mud trapped tens of thousands
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
'Margaritaville' singer Jimmy Buffett dies at 76
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
American Airlines suing website that offers tickets via price loopholes
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Federal agencies investigating near miss between Southwest jet and private plane
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Euphoria' star Angus Cloud dies at 25
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Pee-wee Herman actor Paul Reubens dies at 70
Speed Read
By Brendan Morrow Published
-
Trader Joe's recalls 4 products in a week amid reports of rocks and insects inside food
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Emmys to be postponed for first time since after 9/11 due to strikes
Speed Read
By Brendan Morrow Published