During the 2019 Senior Games, which are now taking place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Julia ‘Hurricane’ Hawkins brought home two gold medals.
The 103-year-old won gold in the 50- and 100-meter dashes, but she fell short of breaking her 100-meter world record from 2017.
The ‘Hurricane’ began her competitive career in cycling and continued until she became 100 when she started jogging.
She is the oldest female contestant in the United States at 103 years old, according to the Senior National Games Association.
She recently spoke to Good Morning America about her late-life athleticism and how she doesn’t let her age hold her back.
She claimed that the majority of her exercise in Louisiana consists of working in her garden and watching what she eats.
She acknowledges that she has had a long life and says, ‘When you’re 103, every day is a marvel. I simply keep getting up and returning to this place.
As a mother of four, grandmother of three, and great-grandmother of three, she is leading an absolutely fantastic life.
She spoke on the Today Show about her life as the wife of a Louisiana State University physics professor, with whom she co-built a house after World War II that she still resides in today.
She told the Today Show that she hoped to serve as an example for older folks to keep moving and pursue their interests.
She said to GMA, ‘I’m pleased I earned two gold medals. It’s awe-inspiring to me to be able to do this.’
We also find it to be incredibly encouraging and wish Julia luck on her significant victories.