Michelle Rohl made headlines during the recent New Balance Indoor Grand Prix held in Boston, where she showcased her incredible talent by achieving an extraordinary milestone. Despite finishing eighth in the highly competitive mile race, Rohl, age 60, set an impressive new indoor world record for women ages 60 to 64, clocking in at 5:26.65. This remarkable feat not only surpasses the previous record by more than a second but also adds to Rohl’s distinguished reputation in the world of athletics.
During the race, Rohl strategically positioned herself in the middle of the pack for most of the event, and her well-executed final lap solidified her record-breaking run. “I was happy to get the record,” Rohl conveyed in a post-race text message. “It was a better last 600 than last week. Not my best yet.”
Rohl’s Journey to Record-Breaking Success
The Boston event came just days after Rohl narrowly missed breaking the same world record at the Hartshorne Memorial Masters Mile at Cornell University. There, she finished with a time of 5:29.05, which did set a new American indoor record for her age group but left her just shy of the international mark. “This time, I stayed on pace to the finish,” she noted, reflecting on her performance.
Rohl emphasized her commitment to improving her performance, stating, “I’ve taken a break from the weight room to get my hamstring better. It’s time to get back in there. I think I can cut a lot off by the end of the indoor season.” With this latest milestone, Rohl has now garnered five age-group world records on the track, alongside a total of 10 individual American age-group records across various events from 800m to 10,000m.
An Olympian’s Comeback Story
Rohl’s athletic journey is indeed an inspiring one that precedes her current triumphs in masters running. She is a former race walker who competed in three Olympic Games, representing the United States at the 10,000m in 1992 and 1996, and in the 20,000m in 2000. Her highest Olympic finish was 14th in Atlanta in 1996. Balancing this elite athletic career with raising five children added another layer of complexity. “I was always taking care of a baby, nursing a baby, pregnant with a baby,” Rohl recalled. “You just do what you’ve got to do and get your workout in.” After her participation in the Sydney Games in 2000, Rohl stepped back from elite competition for nearly two decades to prioritize her family.
A Return to Competition
In 2018, at age 52, Rohl made her return to competition, motivated by her long-time coach, Mike DeWitt, who continues to guide her training. Rohl now averages approximately 40 miles per week, often training with collegiate middle-distance runners at Bucknell University, where her husband, Michael Rohl, serves as a volunteer assistant coach. “I can train more professionally now than I ever did when I was younger,” she shared.
This recent January marked one of the most significant weekends of Rohl’s career as she not only broke the American indoor mile record but also shattered the women’s 60-64 world record in the 3,000m race walk, clocking in at 15:09.64 and surpassing the previous record by over 30 seconds. This exceptional achievement earned her the USATF Athlete of the Week honors, underscoring her remarkable comeback.
Future Aspirations
Looking ahead, Rohl is eager to tackle some of the toughest age-group records while she still feels sharp. “Now that I’ve turned 60, I really want to attack these 60-plus records,” she expressed. Currently, her schedule focuses on the 800m, 1,500m, mile, and 3,000m. The existing world record in the women’s 60-64 800m is 2:23.68, set in 2024.
Rohl has even hinted at a potential return to race walking, mentioning that “the 20K walk record is low-hanging fruit for me.” Whether or not she pursues this path remains to be seen, but what is clear is Rohl’s passion and drive at this stage of her athletic career. Her next major race is set for the USATF Masters Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, New Mexico, scheduled to start on February 19.
At a time when many athletes have opted for retirement or slowed down, Michelle Rohl is defying the odds, showcasing her tenacity and determination to continue breaking records and pursuing her passion for running.
