Photo courtesy of Jerry Carino
A 100-year-old World War II veteran amazed the crowd in the 100-meter dash at the 2022 Penn Relays at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.
Lester Wright, a Long Branch, New Jersey resident, held his own as he ran an impressive 26 seconds during the relay event. While competing for Shore Athletic Club, USA Today reported that the 100-year-old finished seventh of nine competitors, just shy of fifth place.
The 38,000 attendees praised Wright for his impeccable speed as he received a standing ovation after reaching the finish line.
“It was pretty nice to be able to do this at age 100,” Wright said. “When I came here, I was a little bit nervous, but when I saw the crowd and everything, I fell right in with it.”
Wright was an athlete throughout his teenage years and ran track at Long Branch High School in the 1930s. After marrying his high school sweetheart Adele, whom he’s still married to 80 years later, he went off to Europe with the army during World War II. The veteran evaded bombs at the Battle of Bulge against German forces who initiated a surprise attack against Allied forces along the Ardennes region in Belgium, Luxembourg, and France. He earned four Bronze Battle Stars for his heroic achievements in the military.
Years later, Wright returned home, attended college on a GI Bill, and opened the first African American-owned dental lab in Monmouth County, New Jersey, specializing in prosthetic teeth.
Since then, the New Jersey native has continued his love for running. In 1999, he competed as a 77-year-old, winning the 75-and-over 100-meter dash at the Penn Relays.
Wright remains in shape by running through the streets of Long Branch three times a week for more than a mile-and-a-half at a time. Though he thought his performance was slow, he appeared energetic and said he wasn’t tired after the race.
He turned 100 a day before the race, marking him as the oldest competitor at the event. The second-oldest was 92, and the rest of the participants were in their 80s.
“At 100 meters, I feel like I’m just getting started,” said Wright, who’s used to running 200 and 400 meters. “I thought this was nice, but I wanted a longer race.”