Age is far from an insurmountable obstacle for Rejeanne Fairhead, a 96-year-old Ottawan who on Saturday set a new world mark for the best time submitted by an athlete in her category in a five-kilometre event.
Competing in a competition taking place as part of the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend, the athlete completed the distance in 51 min 09.01 s to relegate to oblivion – by almost five minutes – the record previously held by the American Betty Lindberg among the 95-99 year olds.
The one who started training for this event in March said she was confident and not worried.
“I felt good. I am proud of what I have accomplished, but also happy that it is all over,” she admitted to the daily “National Post”.
According to the same source, Fairhead posted the fastest time in her age group in Canadian history last year, when she ran in 58:52 in her first race on the road course, without prior training.
“I told everyone: age is just a number. If you feel good, do something,” she advised others.