For lots of athletes, provincial championships symbolize the end of a season. But for Carol Lafayette-Boyd, it’s a warm-up for national and international track meets.
“I actually must’ve started when I was 49, practicing, but I never ran until I was 50,” LaFayette-Boyd said.
Now 80 years old, she competes in sprints, long jump and triple jump. She’s back on the track after a 2019 injury left her sidelined.
On Saturday, she crossed the finish line in 34.90 seconds in the 200-metre race, beating the previous world record by nearly half a second.
Lafayette-Boyd now holds 13 world records but being part of track and field history isn’t even her favorite part of the sport.
“Meeting other people and seeing the same athletes that keep coming out,” LaFayette-Boyd said. “Everyone is so good to each other.”
Lafayette-Boyd grew up in Rosetown and now lives in Regina. She’s also a great grandmother and adored in the track and field community.
“She is a phenomenal athlete, she’s dedicated, she puts in the time, she pushes herself, she’s one of those all around wonderful athletes,” said Kyle Williams, track meet director and long-time friend.
Lafayette-Boyd has no plans to hang up her spikes. She sees herself competing for decades to come.
“There are three ladies, two in the United States who are 104 and a woman in India who’s 105,” LaFayette-Boyd said. “I’m going there for sure. If they keep going, I’m going to follow in their footsteps.”
In the short term, she’s just focused on her next meet which is the Canadian Masters Athletics Championships in Regina at the end of July.
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