Surrounded by Marathon Medals, an 83-Year-Old Dreams of Paris

French runner Barbara Humbert, 83, long-distance world record winner in her category who dreams to run the Olympic Marathon For All at the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics Games, poses during a daily practice session in Villiers-Adam near Paris, France April 26, 2023. (Reuters)
French runner Barbara Humbert, 83, long-distance world record winner in her category who dreams to run the Olympic Marathon For All at the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics Games, poses during a daily practice session in Villiers-Adam near Paris, France April 26, 2023. (Reuters)
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Surrounded by Marathon Medals, an 83-Year-Old Dreams of Paris

French runner Barbara Humbert, 83, long-distance world record winner in her category who dreams to run the Olympic Marathon For All at the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics Games, poses during a daily practice session in Villiers-Adam near Paris, France April 26, 2023. (Reuters)
French runner Barbara Humbert, 83, long-distance world record winner in her category who dreams to run the Olympic Marathon For All at the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics Games, poses during a daily practice session in Villiers-Adam near Paris, France April 26, 2023. (Reuters)

At 83, Barbara Humbert dreams of taking part in next year's Paris Olympic Games “Marathon For All”, a race opening the Olympic route to non-elite competitors for the first time - and she's got the pedigree to beat some runners half her age.

Not your typical great-grandmother, the German-born Frenchwoman runs 50 km (30 miles) a week, has competed in dozens of marathons, and has the medals to show for it.

"It's extraordinary to have the Olympics in Paris," said Humbert at her home in Eaubonne, an hour's drive north of the capital. "It would be a gift for my 60th marathon," she added. "For me it would be a crowning achievement."

That's far from certain, as the number of race bibs is limited to 20,024, to be chosen in a random draw.

Husband Jacques, her biggest supporter, is helping where he can, and waiting for a response from the sports ministry to a request to reserve a bib for his wife. The ministry was not immediately available for comment.

Dozens of medals hang in the entrance of their home.

They remind Barbara of all the races she's been part of, from Athens to Boston and beyond, amounting to some 8,000 km run, according to her own calculations.

More than 40 years after she first started racing, last year Humbert beat a world record in her category during the French athletics championships, by running 125 km in 24 hours.

How did she do it? By training a lot, and being careful with her diet, she said, encouraging others to follow in her footsteps.

"It gives you a balance. You run, you empty your head, you feel so much better afterwards."

And she's not planning to stop anytime soon. "As long as my joints don't cry out in pain, I will keep running!"



Chelsea Wins Women's League Cup Final for First Trophy in Quadruple Bid

It was the first of four games between Chelsea and City in a 12-day span (File photo/AFP)
It was the first of four games between Chelsea and City in a 12-day span (File photo/AFP)
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Chelsea Wins Women's League Cup Final for First Trophy in Quadruple Bid

It was the first of four games between Chelsea and City in a 12-day span (File photo/AFP)
It was the first of four games between Chelsea and City in a 12-day span (File photo/AFP)

Chelsea’s quadruple bid in women’s soccer is up and running.

A 2-1 win over Manchester City in the Women’s League Cup final on Saturday earned Chelsea its first piece of silverware this season.

Chelsea — still unbeaten in all competitions — leads the Women’s Super League by eight points with six games remaining in its title defense, is in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, and has reached the FA Cup semifinals, The AP reported.

Yui Hasegawa’s unfortunate own-goal in the 77th minute clinched the win for Chelsea, which took the lead after eight minutes through Mayra Ramirez. It was also the Colombia striker who delivered the right-wing cross that Hasegawa sliced into her own net.

Aoba Fujino equalized for City with a brilliant strike from the edge of the area in the 64th.

It was the first of four games between Chelsea and City in a 12-day span. They also meet in the two-legged Champions League quarterfinals, with a Women’s Super League match in between.