Amy Hume
Kyneton ultramarathon runner Greg Wilson has smashed racing legend Cliff Young’s long-held 48-hour Australian M70 Age Record.
Wilson claimed the 30-year-long held title with an impressive 287.404km finish at Sri Chinmoy in Canberra, adding 22.604kms to the record.
He also claimed the 200km record of 28 hours, 55 minutes and 32 seconds, shaving six hours and 42 seconds off the record that has stood since 2006.
Wilson said his 200km time was “necessary to have any hope of tackling Cliffy’s record” and served as a strong motivator.
It also saw him place second in Australian 48-Hour Championship.
“I had to focus on the records because anything can go wrong – I never went there expecting a place in the Australian Championships,” he said.
“I passed Cliffy’s 1993 total of 264.8kms with a bit over two hours to spare – and then set about making it difficult for those future challengers.”
On the same day, Wilson shared the track with the United States’ Camille Herron as she broke the women’s world record for most distance covered in 48 hours at Sri Chinmoy in Australia. Herron completed a staggering 435.336km.
Turning 70 last June, Wilson’s longest event before last month was 24 hours.
He set an impressive six Australian M70 records entering a new age division last year: 6 Hour 61.9km (previously 58.531) 50 Mile 8hr 32m 39s (previously 8hr 38m 23s) 100km 11hr 15m (previously 11hr 42m 29s) 12 Hour 106km (previously 102km) 100 Mile 22hr 26m 27s (previously 22hr 39m 55s) 24 Hour 170.5km (previously 166.33km).
The Vietnam veteran had sponsorship for his latest Canberra trip from the Kyneton RSL.
Wilson said there were two more of Cliffy’s records that he could tackle but first was recovery from the March event.
