Rhode Island Race Organizers Believe This 80-Year-Old Now Has 5-Mile World Record

Rhode Island Race Organizers Believe This 80-Year-Old Now Has 5-Mile World Record

The Olympics might be over, but there is world-record fever in the Rhode Island running community. 

This past weekend at the Bobby Doyle Summer Classic 5-mile run in Narragansett, race organizers believe an age-group world record was broken and are awaiting certification from governing race bodies. 

“It was a great turnout [Sunday]. We had the most finishers we’ve ever had in 16 years,” said Brendan Doyle in an interview with GoLocal, of the 17th annual running of the event. 

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It was one runner’s effort however that looks like it will span beyond the state — and country. 

“Jan Holmquist came in 2022, and ran it in 39:37 which was the world record [at the time] for the 75 and older category,” said Doyle of her previous world-leading effort. 

On Sunday, Doyle says Holmquist — now 80 — appears to have broken that age group record in 40:27.

Now, race organizers await the official designation. 

"It hasn’t been certified yet by USATF but we anticipate it will be," said Doyle. "[Myself] and my uncle Jim Doyle signed a paper certifying that RaceWire, who does the timing, was the correct time."

According to Doyle, Homquist was wearing her signature “bright red” Whirlaway track uniform at the race. 

“When she came around the corner [to the finish], the applause was great,” said Doyle. 

Photographer Scott Mason captured the world-leading moment.