Triathlon, also known as the ironman triathlon, is a sporting event that tests athletes' endurance. Arthur Gilbert, a nonagenarian from the UK, has been competing in triathlons since the age of 68 and is the oldest “ironman” in the country.
Gilbert takes part in long-distance running
Oldest participant in a triathlon
Gilbert was born in 1921 and lives in Burnham, Somerset. He used to be a helicopter mechanic. He has had a passion for running since he was young and started participating in running races in the 1970s. In 1989, at the age of 68, Gilbert took part in his first triathlon and has since competed in 40 official events.
A triathlon consists of swimming, cycling, and running. He usually competes in short-distance triathlons involving a 500-meter swim, a 20-kilometer bike ride, and a 5-kilometer run. Not only that, Gilbert has also won the British duathlon championship seven times in his age group and has received congratulatory letters from the British royal family for his outstanding performance. Gilbert claims to be the oldest triathlete in the UK, saying, “I’ve never seen anyone else my age competing.” He hopes to be included in the Guinness World Records.
Rigorous training, claims he started late
The competition and training process for triathlon is extremely demanding, requiring athletes to have a high level of self-discipline.
Despite his advanced age, Gilbert has set himself a strict training schedule—he works out at the gym three times a week, cycles 40 kilometers every Sunday, and swims the length of 50 standard swimming pools daily.
The UK’s Daily Mail quoted him as saying on the 28th: “I started competing at 68, which is quite late, so I had to take it seriously. Over the years since then, I’ve worked hard to make up for lost time.”
Has a “secret”: generous by nature and eats lots of bananas
Gilbert attributes his exceptional energy to being generous, not worrying unnecessarily, and eating plenty of bananas.
“I started donating blood at the age of 51 and have donated about 45 pints (25.6 liters) in total until age restrictions stopped me. Some people think donating blood affects stamina, but it doesn’t,” he said.
Gilbert’s son and wife both passed away due to illness, and he himself suffered from severe pneumonia. It was the support of family and friends that helped him through these hardships.