LONDON (Reuters) – Nine-year-old Louis Robinett set a 5km parkrun world record for his age in Dorset, England on Saturday, finishing in 17 minutes, 40 seconds to better the previous mark set in California six years ago by 13 seconds.
Robinett, a junior member of the Poole Runners club, was accompanied by senior member Dion Garner during his run as children under 11 are not allowed to participate in the event without an adult running within an arm’s reach.
Parkrun, the hugely popular free, weekly 5km running events organised by volunteers, began with a group of 13 friends in a south-west London park in 2004 before growing into a worldwide phenomenon.
“I’m on top of the world right now, It’s a huge deal to break a world record,” Robinett told the BBC. “I couldn’t have done it without the support of my family and the team at Poole Runners.”
Poole Runners said Robinett’s record had raised the bar for youth athletes. “This isn’t just a win for Louis, it’s a new benchmark for youth sports, inspiring children all over the world to aim higher,” the club said in a statement.
(Reporting by Simon Jennings in Bengaluru, editing by Mitch Phillips)
