Six-year-old boy breaks world record for fastest 2km run for his age

By Freddie Noble

A British seven-year-old has broken the world record for the fastest 2km run for four to six years old.

Musa Shah completed the run in nine minutes and 11 seconds - setting a new world record for the fastest 2,000m race in the boy's four to six-year-old division.

The schoolboy from Salford, Manchester, broke the record on July 5th, 2024, when he was just six at Victoria Park - beating the previous record by 38 seconds.

Musa credited his success to running with his mother, Aaliyah Henry, 29, around Victoria Park in Manchester.

Musa - who likes football and athletics - wants to break the world record for the seven to nine-year-old division next.

Inspired by her son's determination, Aaliyah recently completed her 5k, placing 7th out of 62 competitors.

Alliyah said: "I took him for a park run, and he was really good. He kept up.

"We happened to go to a junior park run, and he finished 7th out of 60. The competitors were older than Musa - even as old as 13."

Dad Shiraz, 42, a car salesman and qualified personal trainer, added: "He is naturally great at athletics, but he does have a passion for football.

"My parents often tell me he looks nine years old when he has just turned seven.

"He loves football, and at age five, he was soon picked up by Manchester City, Manchester United, and Liverpool. He is naturally very athletic and is now part of an athletics club."

Musa was almost turned away from his local athletic club because he was too young before coaches realized his potential, his family says.

Thanks to his record-breaking run, Shiraz is hoping to find sponsorship for Musa.

He said: "We want to try and get him some regular training so sponsorship can help with that.

"We want him to be able to get to national level and compete."