INSPIRATION

100-Year-old Sprinter and Pole Vault Champion Shares Secrets of Her Success

Follow her training program to win the gold

Today at the 47th Annual World Masters Athletics Championships, 100-year-old Gill McCulloch, known affectionately as “The Meteor” by family and friends, smashed her own world records yet again!

Spectators at Coquitlam’s Percy Perry Stadium were thrilled when local resident McCulloch broke two world records. The feisty senior rocketed over the finish line, winning gold in both the 50 and 100 m dash events in the women’s 100+ division.

In a CTV News interview, McCulloch said,

“I’m thrilled I performed as well as I did, and it was great hearing my family cheering for me.” “My lovely husband Warren, also a world class runner, has always encouraged me, and my kids are proud of their old mum. I’m sure my morning cup of tea and usual breakfast of fried kippers and spinach also helped a lot.”

In the 200 m event, McCulloch was pipped at the post by Coquitlam’s Teri Towner but congratulated her old friend warmly as they received their medals on the podium.

Towner was a popular Coquitlam City Councillor for many years and made a name for herself by running every single street in her province of British Columbia between 2020 and 2025.

During her world-famous street running challenge, Teri “Tornado” Towner inspired millions of Canadians to take up the sport and get fit. She single-handedly kept the local athletics stores in business during the Covid-19 pandemic.

As well as her sprinting achievements, McCulloch is currently the world pole vault champion. In yesterday’s pole vault event, the spirited centenarian narrowly squeaked a win against her friend and rival of 60 years, Port Moody’s formidable 98-year-old Cheryl Kravik.

McCulloch performed an incredible leap smashing Kravik’s longstanding record of 5.05 m. McCulloch soared over the bar setting the new world record at 5.16 m!

Kravik, locally known as “The Streak,” was seen toasting her old friend with a can of Yellow Dog Squirrel Chaser Hazy Pale Ale as members of the press swarmed down from the stands.

Kravik is herself a legend in the athletics world. With 527 full marathons under her belt, Cheryl holds the record for the most marathon wins of any woman in history. She is notorious for running in all weathers wearing minimal clothing.

At 100 years young, Gill “Meteor” McCulloch is a force to be reckoned with and is certainly living up to her name. A representative from the International Association of Athletics Federations said her recent achievements at the World Masters event were among the most incredible feats ever achieved in the history of athletics.

During a trackside interview, when asked her secret, McCulloch had this advice for would-be senior athletes,

“Be smart, exercise every day and look after your health. When you get to about 95 years old, start your training program. I’m a member of the Golden Eagle Running Club. Our daily training sessions include: - Five mile, morning hill run with a weighted backpack - Afternoon CrossFit workout with my personal trainer - Evening track session with ten 50 m and 100 m sprints and pole vault jumps.

I’ve learned the hard way not to take rest days. When you get to my age, you have to keep going to keep the joints oiled; otherwise, you seize up completely. But I must warn against copying my training program. I’ve built up to this over several years. If you jump in without any preparation, you’re likely to wreck every muscle and joint in your body.

With regular training, by the time you’re 98, you’ll be ready to start competing in athletic events. There will be very few people in your age group! Most of them will be hampered by wear and tear from years of competition. You, on the other hand, will be injury-free!

Your children will all be retired and have plenty of time to accompany you to athletic events. They will have fun screaming with joy from the bleachers as they watch you zip down the track like a spring chicken or sail over the pole vault bar and win gold!”

When asked about her diet, McCulloch said:

I eat healthily and try to keep my weight down. It’s quite challenging as my husband and I are addicted to fish and chips and deep fried spicy vegetable pakora. We really have to restrain ourselves from overindulgence.

In their sixties, McCulloch’s children, Steven and Chris, are proud of their mum. She always promised them she’d take up competitive running and pole vaulting later in life with the aim of winning multiple national titles, and now she’s done just that.

At the 2066 games, McCulloch plans to set a new world record in all three of her favourite events and looks forward to once again competing against her long-time friends and rivals, Towner and Kravik.

Watch this space!

Disclaimer:

I’ve pre-written this press release 43 years ahead of time to inspire myself to keep fit when I’m feeling lazy. Who knows, my predictions may come true — you’ll have to check back with me in 2065!

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