Date: Thursday, 04 May 2017

At 85 years old, Peter Grandiek is moving faster than most his age.

A lot faster - he has recently returned from the 2017 World Masters Games where he competed in four track cycling events and set new records.

Coming home with four gold medals felt "pretty good", but taking home the medals was more of a personal victory.

As the only competitor in his 85-89 age group, simply competing for the sake of a medal was not an option for Grandiek.

"If you get across the line, you get a medal," he said.

"My aim was to earn the medals."

Competing in the 2000 metres, 500m, the 3 lap sprint and the 5 kilometre scratch race, Grandiek managed to beat his own records for his age group, and set a new one.

Last year, his New Zealand record for the 2000m was 3.43.880, and at his performance at the Avantidrome in Cambridge for the Masters, he completed the event in 3.41.896.

It was a similar story in the 500m, as he shaved a good second off his previous time, with 50.757.

In the 3 lap sprint, he set a Masters world record fo 18.727, and came 9th out of 17 in the scratch race.

Getting in shape for the Masters was no mean feat, out on the bike everyday, rain or shine.

Putting time in at the gym, spin classes and cycling on the track at the velodrome were all part of his training.

His love for cycling hails back to 2008, where he first got involved in a cycling programme for the elderly.

After the instructor noticed him whizzing past others in the class, she suggested he take his cycling to the next step.

"She said I think you better get up on the [velodrome] track," he said.

"It was just a little bit too sedate for me."

Looking ahead, Grandiek has his eyes set on three upcoming competitions, including the Southland Track Champs and the Age Group Track National Championship.

"I'm not stopping, it makes me feel good," he said.

Photo and article courtesy Stuff

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