100-year-old World War II veteran runs 100-meter dash
Father time still hasn't caught up with Frederick Winter. On Thursday, the 100-year-old Michigan native became the oldest man in the history of the National Senior Games to complete the 100-meter dash, finishing the race at the Minneapolis competition in 42.38 seconds.
Winter, who also competed in the 100-meter dash at the Michigan Senior Olympics in 2014, turned 100 on June 1.
“I try to do aerobics every morning at 6 a.m.,” Winter told the Holland (Mich.) Sentinel last month. “If I don’t get it done at 6 a.m., it doesn’t get done. I do about 30 minutes worth. And I watch what I eat. No fast foods. Salmon!”
While few even come close to competing in Winter’s age division (labeled “100+”), he may have a formidable challenger in a few years.
North Dakotan Harold Bach, 95, ran the 100-meter dash in 24.44 seconds on Thursday. Bach’s mark set a record for the 90–95 age division at the Senior Games, besting the previous record of 25.79 seconds set in 2013, according to event organizers.
Winter served two tours of duty in the U.S. Navy and was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, during World War II, according to the Sentinel.
The Senior Games are the largest multi-sport qualified competition event in the world for men and women 50 and older.
- Christopher Chavez
