Toe the Line Wednesdays (Week 4)

The fourth week of action at Westchester Summer Twilight Track saw an influx of families and top-notch athletes migrating to the series’ new home at Somers High School. Many performances were noteworthy Tuesday night, July 27, but one stood out among the rest.

Flora Neuman wrote history, competing as the oldest athlete to ever participate and win at the Westchester Track and Field Series at the age of 99. Neuman walked out to the track Tuesday night for the age 60-and-up division of the 55-meter dash and crossed the finish line alone in a time of 35 seconds to what was a standing ovation with her family by her side.

“I got a ribbon, I got a ribbon,” said the overjoyed Neuman, who ran uncontested. “I loved it here; I will run in any race.”

But it was this race, the 55-meter dash, where the 99-year-old Linconlndale resident chose to compete only one month ago, and laid claim to a truly inspirational moment. The senior’s history of an active lifestyle strings throughout her life, deriving from a simple activity called walking.

“You would be surprised that I did not participate in any sports growing up,” she said. “I walked a lot though. I used to walk from my house and go long distances.”

The senior’s noninvolvement in organized sports may come as a shock, but it is ultimately her fountain of youth secret that has kept her in such good shape.

“I don’t smoke, I don’t drink and I do not eat between meals,” said Neuman, an ex-Bronx native. “And I just keep skinny.”

The happy high that came with the 99-year-old senior’s performance permeated to the other athletes as the 5-kilometer run featured a Section 1 cross country preview with Somers and Harrison runner’s front and center.

Chris D’Antona, a junior at Harrison, crossed the finish line first, making a statement with a time of 16:56.

“I was just hoping for a good time,” he said. “I wanted to see what I could do, considering I am getting a lot better training then I ever have before.”

Somers also took the track having their fifth man run a time under 18:00; last year in this race, the Tuskers’ fifth man ran above 19:00; maybe a sign of good things to come. Coach Tim Fulton has confidence in his Somers squad with a highly competitive Section 1 Cross Country season looming.

“Today was about building confidence,” Fulton said. “Brewster beat us last year for their first sectional title, but we have won three before that. So, these guys are just looking to put us back on top, somewhere where we have been before.”

Fulton practices what he preaches; running the 5K in 17:54. That performance could put Fulton in Somers’s team top six, quite impressive for a runner in his mid 30s.

Empire State Games Open Men's Decathlon winner Alfonso Scannapieco, a Lakeland alum, competed in events like the 100-meter dash, 4x100-meters, 4x400-meters, high jump and pole vault. He continued his winning ways in the 100-meters with a time of 11.4 and a second place finish in the 4x400-meters in 3:58.4.