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Centenarian sprint record foiled

A South African man's bid to become the fastest 100-year-old to run 100 metres was foiled when a power failure stopped the electronic clock timing his sprint.

Philip Rabinowitz said he ran the distance in 28.7 seconds in Cape Town, beating the record of 36.19 seconds.

But the time cannot be recognised because it was not confirmed by the official timer.

Mr Rabinowitz, who turned 100 in February, said that despite the mishap, he felt "absolutely wonderful".

"I never thought I would be able to do it," he added.

The current record for a centenarian running the 100m was set by Erwin Jaskulski from Austria in 2002.

'Rabonoblitz'

Mr Rabinowitz will get another chance to make it into the Guinness Book of World Records in the autumn.

The competitor - known as Rabonoblitz - trains by walking six kilometres (3.7 miles) each day.

His diet includes two apples a day, oats, tea and toast for breakfast, a main meal of vegetables combined with either chicken or fish and a sundowner of ginger ale laced with cane spirits, according to the SABC News.

Mr Rabinowitz - who holds the record in the Guinness Book of being the world's oldest competitive walker - still works, handling accounts for his daughter's business.

He also participated in the South African leg of the Olympic torch relay earlier this year.

Posted by thinkum at July 5, 2004 12:14 PM