Japanese man, 95, takes
100-meter record from
Hawaii’s Jaskulski

TOKYO » A 95-year-old Japanese man who took up track only three decades ago has reportedly run a 22.04-second 100 meters, a new record for his age bracket.

Kozo Haraguchi's dash yesterday in the rain at an outdoor track in the southern Japanese city of Miyazaki beat the world record of 24.01 seconds for the 95-to-99 age group set by Hawaii resident Erwin Jaskulski in May 1999, according to the national Asahi newspaper.

"I ran thinking I should not fall because everyone was cheering for me," he told reporters.

His time will be submitted to the World Masters Athletics organization, the newspaper and other news reports said.

Haraguchi also holds the World Masters Athletics' world record for the fastest man aged 90 to 95 -- a time of 18.08 seconds he set in September 2000. He started track events at age 65 and stays healthy by taking hourlong walks daily.