Dr Lachlan Lewis (OW1955) belongs to a family of high achievers, particularly in the field of science. While he claims not to have reached the academic heights of his family, he has certainly surpassed them all when it comes to his continued success in the pursuit of that intangible desire so many chase – remaining youthful well into his 80s!
Keeping fit isn’t a new concept for Lachlan. As a 5-year-old during the war years, Lachlan used to walk 5km to the one room country school he attended at Narbethong, not far from Chum Creek, when his parents moved the family out of the city worried about the bombing risk posed by the Japanese. Lachlan was not one to lose the race to his two older sisters and within a matter of months, he could ‘run the legs off other kids’.
Entering Wesley in 1950, Chaplin Cook impressed upon him the importance of going the extra mile and not following the mob and he was taught to always appreciate the gift of education. Lachlan says, ‘Many weren’t smart enough to appreciate what we were getting at the time - youth can so often be wasted on the young and this was certainly true of our cohort!’
Chaplin Roberts was another who had an impact on Lachlan’s outlook on life. ‘He taught me the importance of making the best of the situation no matter what kind of mess you found yourself in.’
To date, Lachlan has competed in 42 ITU World Championships and dozens of marathons, including Boston, New York and the Great Wall of China. He has also run the Melbourne marathon 15 times and the Canberra marathon more than 20 times! He even ran a marathon in the North Pole - a staggering 84kms across the permafrost, while doing humanitarian work for Inuit (Eskimo) children at Nanasivik which is located near the Magnetic North Pole.
With more time available to him these days, Lachlan is enjoying competing on the world stage and most recently, won both a bronze and silver medal at the World Multi-Sport Championships in Townsville.
Representing Australia in both the Sprint Duathlon and the Aquathon, Lachlan was one of 1,100 athletes on the Australian team competing at the event organised by the International Triathlon Union (ITU). ‘I feel very privileged to still be able to compete and find great joy in interacting with the younger athletes,’ said Lachlan.
Recognised as a legend of the sport by Triathlon Australia in 2022, he currently holds the title of the oldest competitor in the world at 87 years of age.
Always grateful for the life he leads, Lachlan reflects on the advice he received from a former head of the Uniting Church: ‘To age positively, you must continually challenge yourself both mentally and physically and always seek new challenges.’
Sharp as ever, Lachlan remains a shining example for us all.
