75-year-old runner sets world record for running 5,000m
The old record in the same category was 22 minutes 53 seconds 55, set by British runner Angela Copson in Tampere, Finland in July 2022.
When he reached the finish line on the track of the A&T University track and field, Greensboro, North Carolina on July 20, Rice broke the above record with 12.11 seconds faster. This running leg is also far behind the other two athletes competing with. Nancy Rollins finished second with 26 minutes 32 seconds 39, and Andrea McCarter finished last with 39 minutes 58 seconds 01. Both Rollins and McCarter are 76 years old.
Ms. Rice achieved an average pace of about 4:32 (4 minutes 32 seconds per 1,000m). According to Runner's World, this is a remarkable achievement in the hot weather conditions in Greensboro on race day.
"Running on the track is a new experience, because I am used to running long on the road. But I am very excited about the competition in this track," Rice told Runner's World.
Ms. Rice is better known for her marathon track record. At the age of 70, this Korean-American runner completed the major Chicago Marathon with a record of 3 hours 27 minutes 50 seconds - setting a world record for the age group 70 - 74. Nearly a year later, on September 29, Rice broke her own record, finishing at the Berlin Marathon with a record of 3 hours 24 minutes 48 seconds. On April 17, 2023, just a few days after celebrating her 75th birthday, she completed the world's most prestigious Boston Marathon with a time of 3 hours 33 minutes 15 seconds.
When asked about the secret to winning at the USATF Masters Championships on July 20, Rice joked: "It's simple, don't wear specialized running shoes on the athletic field, but use the Nike Vaporfly2s carbon-cushioned shoes - my 'friend' to conquer the Boston Marathon."
Rice started jogging at the age of 35 with the original goal of losing weight. "Running has become a part of my life. People wake up and go to work, the kids wake up and go to school, and I get up and go for a run," she said, adding that she often writes world record milestones for age groups on paper, sticks them on the fridge, and chases them.
USATF Masters Championships is a tournament affiliated to the American Athletics Federation but only for senior age groups, aged 35 and over. This tournament was born in 1968 and is considered an attractive and highly competitive playground, with many superstars choosing to compete after the end of their peak careers.
