Posted on 04/30/2026 7:20:12 AM PDT by Miami Rebel
The day after he turned 100 in 2022, Lester Wright ran the 100-meter dash in 26.34 seconds, setting what was believed to be a world record and becoming the fastest known centenarian.
As a crowd of 38,000 stood and cheered, he set off down the track at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia, one of the country’s premier track meets, wearing a running singlet, tights to his knees and two thin ponytails braided by his daughter. Wright, a slender World War II veteran, swung his arms rhythmically and lifted his knees high.
The only centenarian in the nine-man field, he crossed the finish line in seventh place, ahead of 86- and 92-year-old competitors. Runners congratulated him. Reporters crowded around.
“When I came here, I was a little bit nervous,” he said. “But when I saw the crowd and everything, I fell right in with it.”
Wright died on April 20 at his home in Long Branch, N.J., his daughter Doreen Wright, who cared for him, said. He was 103.
Tributes offered after his death have celebrated Wright’s 2022 performance.
his 2022 performance was “phenomenal,” said Scott Trappe, who studies aging athletes as director of the Human Performance Laboratory at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind.
Dr. Trappe did not study Wright, but said that his ability to run at all at his age — let alone faster than any other centenarian in the world — suggested that “he had some excellent physiology, probably better than some college students.”
Lester Edward Wright was born on April 29, 1922, in Long Branch to Helen Wright and was raised by his grandparents, Allan and Rosabella (Taylor) Wright. He ran track at Long Branch High School before joining the U.S. Army, where he rose to the rank of sergeant.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Died 9 days before his 104th birthday.
I am now inspired to train for the next 23 years, in hopes of breaking that record (moving parts permitting).
Wow. I’m happy to jog-walk 15 minute miles which is 56 seconds for 100 meters. He was going almost three times faster than me. And I’m only 74, to boot!
Well, I suddenly don’t feel my 75 years after reading this, I feel inspired. Think I’ll go outside and split some firewood for next winter, if this horrible winter was any gauge, I’ll need another 3 or 4 cords. God bless Lester Wright, may he rest in peace.
In many ways, today’s world seems so bizarre to me, I can’t imagine what I’d witness if I lived that long.
So, exercise is bad for you.
You can’t outrun the Grim Reaper.
If he had run the hundred yard dash instead of the 100 meter dash, then I would have read the rest of the article.
I won’t subscribe to The New York Slimes to read this article
“The day after he turned 100 in 2022, Lester Wright ran the 100-meter dash in 26.34 seconds”. Not bad, faster than this old man walks to the mailbox.
If you keep doing exercise you will die eventually.*
*Cause of death may not be related to exercise.
Rest in peace, Mr. Wright.
Elsewhere with obituaries, human genome pioneer J. Craig Venter just passed away at age 79.
Memory Eternal!
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