Oldest marathoner a fake?

by Bev Sklar (Subscribe to Bev Sklar's posts)
Apr 17th 2008 10:30AM

There's no question Pierre Jean 'Buster' Martin completed the London Marathon in 10 hours last Sunday, but controversy is swirling whether he's the oldest marathoner on record at 101 years old. The record is currently held by Dimitrion Yordanidis, a Greek runner who completed a 1976 Athens marathon in a smokin' 7 hours, 33 minutes.

Guinness World Records is shunning Martin, they have evidence he's a youthful 94. Possibly an even more amazing feat than 26 miles, Martin is still working. An employee at Pimlico Plumbers, he's prominently displayed on their home page and raising fistfuls of money for the Rhys Daniels Trust, a charity supporting seriously ill children and their families.

There's speculation Pimlico is exploiting Martin -- Pimlico approached Guinness -- and enjoyed a strong corporate presence at the London Marathon and exposure from the hoopla surrounding Martin. Now the company is having trouble verifying Martin's age, but Pimlico claims their actions were on the up and up. Part of me doesn't even care -- hats off to a 94 or 101-year-old man who not only ran a marathon, he's raising big bucks for a worthy charity. Guinness or not, he's unforgettable in my book.

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Comments (14)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

vivapapi 4-18-2008 @ 3:36PM

dang...i thought that was castro...same jogging suit?

Kristy 4-18-2008 @ 3:10PM

BRAVO!!! Keep it up, Martin! :)

Bob 4-18-2008 @ 3:43PM

It's amazing what people will do for Money. Even after 94 years this guy still has enough energy to try and swindle people. I wonder where all the money donated to the "Charity" really goes.

localgirl 4-18-2008 @ 4:27PM

I can beat that! We have Rosalee in Tallahassee, FL. Rosie is 95 and runs in the local events here. She is a retired FSU professor, a retired nurse and still works full time at the post office. She also rides around town on her BMW motorcycle w/sidecar. GO ROSIE!

Rise 4-18-2008 @ 7:15PM

Good for Rosie, but does she smoke and drink booze too? If not, she doesn't , it isn't comparing "apples to apples"! HAHAHA!

Duncan W. 4-18-2008 @ 4:52PM

FLOG HIM UNMERCILESSLY AT SUNRISE ON NATIONAL TV!! Whyyyy........I Never! Duncan W.

Lizzychan 4-18-2008 @ 5:02PM

who cares what his age is? Congrats to the old man for being able to raise money for a good cause.

patrickgawne 4-18-2008 @ 5:04PM

I saw on TV that he drinks eight pints of ale and smokes fourteen cigarettes a day. Is that also a fabrication?

jeanne 4-18-2008 @ 6:06PM

so, how old was yordanidis?

Bev Sklar 4-18-2008 @ 6:22PM

98!

Bev

R Lambert 4-18-2008 @ 6:57PM

He's actually 110

Don 4-18-2008 @ 7:07PM

Anyone that old, that can last for 10hrs. running sould be praised not ridiculed. I work in a nursing home and most of them are not even close to being that old and can hardly walk. Great job Martin

JOHN 4-18-2008 @ 7:45PM

CAN HE RUN THE WHOLE MARATHON WITHOUT A BATHROOM BREAK?....."DEPENDS"!!!

Dlee 4-18-2008 @ 8:29PM

What has happened to the human beings in this world? There's been a horrendous change particularly in the last decade, that just keeps getting worse. It seems that compassion, kindness, concern for others is out and hatred, meaness, brutality, anything hurtful is in. That's what is fun now? I don't think I'll ever understand it and I'm not sure if I want to. About 95% of the people that comment on these websites (the ones I've read and do still read some, total more than 100) are having a great time being cruel, rude, obnoxious and the list goes on, but I won't. You all couldn't be ignorant, so some must be stupid, but the ones who don't fall in either of those catagories are the worst. It's so clearly understandable why the world we know on earth has to end.
God Bless you Buster.