At 91,international friendlies Chiba man aims to break his own age record in triathlon event

By YUKA ORII/ Staff Writer

May 12, 2024 at 07:00 JST

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Hiromu Inada, a 91-year-old triathlete, and Chiba Governor Toshihito Kumagai pose at the Chiba prefectural government office on April 16. (Yuka Orii)

CHIBA—After retiring at age 60, Hiromu Inada took up swimming to shed fat from his overweight body.

Three decades later, at age 91, Inada plans to complete what many consider the world’s toughest triathlon event—for the third time.

Inada, a resident of Yachiyo, Chiba Prefecture, first completed the Ironman World Championship in 2016. In 2018, at age 85, he set a Guinness World Record as the oldest person to cross the finish line of the grueling event held in Hawaii.

The Ironman World Championship consists of a 3.8-kilometer swim, a 180.2-km cycling ride, and a 42.2-km run.

Inada will enter a competition slated for June 16 in Australia in hopes of qualifying for the Ironman World Championship in October.

On April 16, Inada paid a courtesy call on Chiba Governor Toshihito Kumagai.

“I train every day to maintain my muscle and bone strength,” Inada said. “I rode a bike this morning as usual.”

Inada described the Boso Peninsula in the prefecture as the “best place for training,” given not only its pleasant climate but also its many appealing destinations.

Impressed by the triathlete, Kumagai said, “We will be rooting for you.”

Inada became absorbed in triathlon events after his retirement.

“I still make discoveries every day at this age,” he said. “I shout at times when happy. Doing what you really want to do will make your life delightful even after you retire and get much older.”