Gerringong 82-year-old John Le Carpentier, or “Chippy” as he is known around town, defied Father Time yet again at a gruelling event at University of Wollongong’s recent Illawarra Fitness Festival.

Despite his age, Chippy braved the Team Race category alongside 21-year-old University of Wollongong College graduate Cohen Harms and student Max Ferri.

His contribution included a 700m run and 700m on the rowing machine, followed by another 700m run before finishing with 140m of a farmer’s carry with two 10kg weights.

While he found the weighted exercises breezy, the competitive and intensive nature of running was the event’s most taxing aspect.

“I'm quite capable of going out tomorrow and walking 40 or 50km, that would never bother me. But running is a different thing,” he said.

Chippy is no stranger to fitness challenges - he has previously been involved in a 12-hour Lifeline walk and the 1000km Oxfam Trailwalker with his family.

He also attends spin classes twice a week, takes daily 6km walks and frequently orienteers, also logging a fitness activity for every single day of September as part of Million Moves’ campaign to popularise physical exercise.

To train for the Hyrox event at the uni, Chippy called upon his instructor Korin Koutsomihalis and UOW College fitness student Daniel Fleming, both of whom work at Soul Fit Co.

“Doing exercise with other people is motivating as opposed to just doing it on your own, because you can always find an excuse to [avoid] it.

“But when you do it as a group, you feel obligated to turn up and do it, and you kind of bounce off each other,” Chippy said.

He has no intentions of slowing down, with a trip to Japan on the horizon that includes a seven-day mountain hike.

“My thing with keeping fit is not about the length of life, but the quality of life,” said Chippy.

“So it's kind of advantageous - you spend less time getting treated by doctors because you're healthier.”