On a day when temperatures hit 100 degrees, Santa Clara’s Don Pellmann was a 100-year-old man on fire, setting five world records Sunday at the San Diego Senior Olympics.
Pellmann became the first centenarian to clear a bar in the high jump, eventually reaching .90 meters (2 feet 11 1/2 inches). He became the first 100-year-old long jumper — going 5-10. And he shattered age-group world records in the 100-meter dash, shot put and discus.
His only disappointment came in the pole vault, where he failed to clear his opening height of 3-1 3/4 (after getting over a bar in warmups).
Shadowed by New York Times sports columnist Karen Crouse of Phoenix and former Union-Tribune photographer Sandy Huffaker, Pellmann wasn’t happy with his marks but got encouragement along the way.
“Don, you’re in better shape than me now,” Crouse told the 5-foot-11, 175-pound Pellmann in a tiny training room adjacent to the Mondo track, where he received the first athletic massage of his life — from trainer Ardy Riego.