At 89 years old, Ralph Schubert is more than double the age of some of his competitors at the Great Barrier Reef Masters Games.
Thousands of athletes as young as 30 have joined him in Cairns for the biennial event, which will host a range of sports like judo, rugby league and running.
Mr Schubert is the oldest competitor at this year's games and he has committed to running seven kilometres.
It has been a battle to prepare for.
"Unfortunately I had a cancer on the back of my leg last year," he said.
"That did interrupt my regular morning training but since it's healed up I've got back into it.
"So I won't be breaking any records."
Winning on a technicality
Competing against runners less than half his age, Mr Schubert is often the last to cross the finish line.
However, as the only competitor in his age group, he has a bagful of gold medals from the past four games.
"Everyone's hanging in there waiting for him to be last," his wife Lillian said.
"But he's first and last because he's the only one in his age group."
Mr Schubert grew up playing AFL and rowing but as the years went by the convenience of running started to rope him in.
"Anyone can do it. You don't have to have machinery, you've just got to get up and go for a jog," he said.
"But now Lillian reckons I just go for a shuffle."
Sustaining 65 years of marriage
While Mr Schubert's success has been attributed to his determination, Lillian said her cooking was also a factor.
"You are what you eat and I've got to keep Ralph running," she said.
"I don't want him hanging around in the lounge chair all the time."
However, Ralph said he also needed to pull his weight to make sure the food kept coming.
"She looks after me like a baby but I give her breakfast in bed every morning," he said.
"You've got to have a little cuddle too."
Mr Schubert said this year would not be his last games.
"Ten years from now I'll be 99. That would set a record, wouldn't it," he said.
