100-year-old smashes 100m record -- but timing machine doesn

CAPE TOWN (AFP) - South African runner Phillip Rabinowitz became the fastest 100-year-old in the world over the weekend but his effort, for now, seems to have been in vain because of a technical hitch.

Usually the domain of super-athletes clad in cling suits, Rabinowitz ran the 100 metres in 28.7 seconds Sunday at the newly-opened Kayelitsha stadium in the sprawling township outside Cape Town.

The time is almost 10 seconds faster than the current record of 36.19 seconds, set by Austrian Erwin Jaskulski in Hawaii in 2002.

But on Monday, the feat was still not recorded as an apparent problem with the timer had not yet been resolved.

The timer, which would have officially confirmed the record, did not work because of a possible problem with electricity, being run off a generator.

"I was very disappointed that the timer didn't work. I've worked very hard towards getting this record," Rabinowitz told AFP.

"But I'll try again in October," he said "when I'm sure it will stand."

Rabinowitz' daughter Joyce Kruger said her father was an avid runner and already hold the Guiness Record for the oldest competitor in walking and running events.