7-Year-Old Smashes World Record by 27 Seconds

At seven years old, Emelie Chavez runs faster than teenagers twice her age.

The Bakersfield runner just shattered the world record for the 7-year-old 3000-meter race, clocking 11 minutes and 43 seconds at a meet in Cerritos, California. She didn't just edge past the old record of 12:10. She obliterated it by 27 seconds.

To put that in perspective, Emelie ran at a 6:17 mile pace for nearly two miles. Most high school girls can't sustain that speed for a single mile.

"She ran an 11:43, breaking the 12:10 record," said her father and coach Ramon Chavez, who runs the Kern Track Club. "Most high school girls can't run those times, for one mile."

Emelie practices at Belcourt Park with about 30 kids aged 4 to 18. You'll usually spot her near the front of the pack wearing her signature American flag shorts and Oakley sunglasses, chasing runners who tower over her.

Her 12-year-old teammate Haley Munoz has watched Emelie in action. "I think it's impressive, because she's so small compared to them, and she's just beating them so bad."

Ramon says his biggest coaching challenge isn't pushing Emelie harder. It's getting her to slow down. She gets upset when high school runners beat her and constantly tries to keep pace with athletes years older.

The world record was a goal Emelie had been targeting for weeks. Ramon waited for the perfect race conditions, and when Cerritos came up on the calendar, they went for it with a few teammates serving as pacers.

Sunny's Take

Despite her fierce competitive drive, Emelie is surprisingly shy off the track. When her school announced her achievement over the loudspeaker, kids swarmed her at recess wanting to race. She didn't love all the attention.

But don't mistake that shyness for uncertainty about her future. When asked what she wants to be when she grows up, her answer was simple: "Olympian." And yes, she plans to break more world records along the way.

She's already a six-and-under national champion, 7-year-old national champion, and multiple-time All-American. Her own father, who coaches her, admits she's already surpassed anything he accomplished in his running career.

When this reporter asked if she thought he could beat her in a race, Emelie just shook her head no.

The world's distance running records better watch out because Emelie Chavez is just getting started.