Ida Keeling facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Personal information |
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|---|---|
| Birth name | Ida Olivia Potter |
| Nationality | American |
| Born | May 15, 1915 |
| Died | August 25, 2021 (aged 106) |
| Height | 4 foot 6 inches |
| Weight | 83 pounds |
| Sport | |
| Country |  USA |
| Sport | Track & Field |
| Event(s) | 60 meters (in 2011 in the 95-99 years division) 100 metres (on April 30, 2016, aged 100 in the M100 division) |
Ida Olivia Keeling (née Potter, May 15, 1915 – August 25, 2021) was an amazing American track and field athlete. She was known for setting running records even when she was very old! Her daughter, Cheryl (Shelley) Keeling, who was also a record holder, trained Ida. Ida set special records for older athletes in the 60-meter and 100-meter races. She competed in age groups for women aged 95-99 and those over 100.
Ida's inspiring story was shown in a TV show called If You're Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast on HBO in 2017. This show was about people who were still active and healthy even after turning 90. Ida was also featured on Our America with Lisa Ling on the Oprah Winfrey Network.
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Ida Keeling's Amazing Running Records
Setting Records in the 60-Meter and 100-Meter Races
In 2011, when Ida Keeling was 95 years old, she set a world record! She ran 60 meters in just 29.86 seconds at a track meet in Manhattan. The next year, in 2012, she set an American record for women aged 95 and older, running 60 meters in 51.85 seconds at a big track championship.
In 2014, at the 2014 Gay Games, Ida was 99 years old. She ran the 100-meter dash in 59.80 seconds. At that time, the official records for US women didn't even include a 100-meter record for anyone older than 94! This meant she was setting new ground for older athletes.
Making History at 100 Years Old
On April 30, 2016, Ida Keeling did something truly special. She became the first woman ever to finish a 100-meter race at the age of 100! She completed the race in 1 minute and 17.33 seconds. A huge crowd of 44,469 people watched her at the 2016 Penn Relays and cheered her on.
About Ida Keeling's Life
Ida Keeling's parents, Osborne and Mary Potter, moved to the United States from Anegada, an island in the British Virgin Islands. Ida grew up in Harlem, New York.
Ida's mother passed away when Ida was young. Later, when Ida was 42, her husband died. Her younger daughter, Shelley, is a lawyer and also coached for a local high school. Shelley was the one who first encouraged her mom to start running. Ida was 67 years old when Shelley convinced her to try a "mini-run."
In her book, Can’t Nothing Bring Me Down: Chasing Myself in the Race against Time (2018), Ida Keeling shared her secrets for staying healthy and fit. She explained that she worked out 2-4 times a week and enjoyed dancing classes. Her diet included lots of greens, fruit, and cod liver oil.
Ida Keeling lived a very long and active life. She passed away in August 2021 when she was 106 years old.
