90-year-old man breaks age-group world half-marathon record

April 21, 2026

Not only is Giuseppe Damato setting back-to-back world records, but he’s also doing it with barely any time to recover. The Turin, Italy native broke the M90 marathon world record in Milan just a week ago, taking more than 90 minutes off the previous mark, set in 2023. Back on his home roads, he followed it up by capturing the M90 half-marathon world record at the Turin Half-Marathon, finishing in 2:07:36 and bettering the previous record by almost 50 minutes.

Damato began his running career at 73, when a cycling accident forced him to switch sports. He ran his first marathon that same year, finishing in 3:40. “I train three to four times a week: I usually run 10–15 km if I’m preparing for 10Ks or half marathons, while I run between 15 and 25 km if I’m preparing for a marathon,” Damato told Italian media outlet la Repubblica. “Then I often run to the cemetery to visit my wife: it’s an 18 km round trip.” CANADIAN Running MAGAZINE