Five world records set at WMAC Daegu 2026

Five world records have been set at the 2026 World Masters Athletics Championships in Daegu, with competitors ranging from 35-year-old newcomers to a 106-year-old veteran pushing the limits of the sport.

Sawang Janpram of Thailand, 106, the oldest competitor at the championships, set a world record Thursday in the men's M105 discus with a throw of 7.59 meters, according to WMAC Daegu 2026 organizers.

Earlier, Kenton Brown of the United States set a world record of 14.16 seconds in the men's M80 100 meters, while Britain's B John Wright clocked 12.03 seconds in the men's M65 100 meters.

Thailand's Somsanga Boonnok recorded 15.61 seconds in the women's W70 80-meter hurdles, and Richard Lee of the United States posted 7 minutes 9.29 seconds in the men's M65 2,000-meter steeplechase, bringing the total world records at the championships to five.

South Korean athlete Shin Haeng-cheol, 71, won gold in the men's M70 5,000 meters Thursday with a time of 19 minutes 11.61 seconds, his third gold medal of the championships.

In the women's W75 5,000 meters, Sarah Roberts of Britain, a former athlete of the year award winner, took gold with a time of 23 minutes 29.21 seconds.

The participation of younger masters athletes has also drawn attention. A total of 134 competitors at the minimum eligible age of 35 are taking part in the championships, 85 of them South Korean. Korean athletes in that age group have entered in large numbers in the 10-kilometer and half-marathon events.

"The sight of athletes from age 35 to 106 taking on challenges together across generations is what makes masters athletics so compelling," said Jin Gi-hun, secretary-general of the organizing committee. "I hope the athletes continue to pursue their individual goals with everything they have in the remaining events."