Julia Hawkins was a senior cyclist who, at age 100, became a competitive sprinter and eventually set multiple records in her age group.
- Died: October 22, 2024 (Who else died on October 22?)
- Details of death: Died in Baton Rouge, Louisiana at the age of 108.
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Julia Hawkins’ legacy
“Hurricane” Hawkins already had a life of accomplishment when she decided to test her sprinting skills at 100 years old. Born in Wisconsin but spending most of her life in Louisiana, Hawkins met her husband, Murray, on her first day attending Louisiana State University and married him by phone while he was deployed with the U.S. Navy during World War II. For a time, Hawkins was a teacher, biking seven miles each day to the school where she worked.
Always athletic, the mother of four began competitive cycling while in her 70s, riding in the Louisiana Senior Olympics at age 75. After more than two decades in the sport, however, she gave it up due to lack of competition.
Her hiatus from athletic contests did not last long. At the urging of her children, Hawkins took up running at age 100, and she began competing, earning her nickname a year later. In 2017, she won the 100-meter dash at the USA Track and Field Outdoors Masters Championships. That same year, at 101, she began setting records for her age group at the National Senior Games, taking top prizes in 50- and 100-meter dash races, then two more gold medals at the 2019 Senior Games, again besting the times of younger age-bracket winners. Hawkins was the first to establish the competition’s 105-and-older age category.
Her 2016 book, “It’s Been Wondrous: A Centenarian’s Memoir,” recounts Hawkins’ life up until that time.
Notable quote
“I knew I could run because I’m always in the yard working, and when the phone rings, I go running inside to answer it.”— interview in Runner’s World, 2017
Tributes to Julia Hawkins
Full obituary: Runner’s World
