Orville Rogers, 98, of Dallas added to his massive collection of accolades over the weekend when he established a new world 1500 meter record of 16:32.19 for 95- to 99-year-olds.
The record wasn’t hard to attain as he was the first 95- to 99-year-old on record to race 1500 meters indoors. Still, Rogers won all five events he competed in at the USA Masters Indoor Track & Field Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico, during the weekend.
Rogers was the only competitor in the 95-99 age division in his events, but in his two shortest events—the 60 meters and 200 meters—he outran all the competitors in the 90-94 age group.
This wasn’t the first time Rogers made the record books. He already holds world indoor track & field records in the 95-99 age group for 800 meters, the mile, and 3,000 meters, as well as the American record in the 60 meters and 200 meters. He established each of those records as a 95-year-old.
Rogers recently told the Dallas Morning News that he’s looking forward to competing in the next age group up.
“I can't wait to be 100,” he said. “In the 100 age group, there are only one or two records across the board.”
In 2013, Rogers shared some of the secrets of his success with Runner’s World, including his perseverance.
"It’s never too late to start, as long as you don’t have a physical problem that would prevent you from running,” Rogers said. “It’s always a good idea to get a physical examination before you begin exercise, but I’ve read studies that senior citizens can gain strength and muscle mass even past the age of 90. That’s very encouraging for me.”
You can watch a video of his 1500 meter race here. (He finishes around the 16:35 mark. Runners from other divisions ran in his heat.)
