A Co Meath man joked yesterday that he would have to start his athletics career now that he has won his first ever medal - straight in with a gold - at the age of 96.
Mr Gerry Smyth, from Summerhill, Co Meath, went for gold for Ireland at the European Senior Games for the 1,500 metres walking event in Ghent, Belgium.
Yesterday, the retired school-teacher said: "I'm delighted with it. I'm very proud of it."
Mr Smyth was the oldest competitor at the games at which he represented Ireland with 30 members of the Summerhill Active Retirement Group.
Speaking from Ghent on RTÉ radio's News at One, Mr Smyth said it was his first medal in athletics. He had never won anything before, he said, joking: "I'll have to start now."
He said he did not know too much about the opposition in the race. They were all looking at him but he was afraid to look behind him, he said.
On his form during the race, Mr Smyth said: "I kept going at a fairly good pace. I wasn't a bit tired."
Mr Smyth paid tribute to Ms Mary Nally of the Third Age Centre. He said without her he would not have been involved.
"Mary Nally is the brains of the Summerhill group and I also want to thank the group that came with us who cheered me on from start to finish," he said.
Before he went to Belgium, Mr Smyth could be seen power-walking around Trim to train for the event. He walked five miles in one day shortly before the games.
He was always hopeful of a medal. He said at the time: "I'm going for gold, but I will settle for silver."
However, yesterday Mr Smyth settled for nothing but the best. He had already surprised the games organisers by entering as there was no "over-90" age category, and they had no other competitors over 90.
Mr Smyth retired from teaching 30 years ago and despite a stroke last year has been keeping well. He said he was able to get around and enjoy life.
The nonagenarian has his own philosophy of life: "If you go into a corner, then you will be left there to gather dust."