Oldest competing bodybuilder-world record set by Ray Moon

  THORNBURY, Australia -- Ray Moon , 80, has won four Victorian and Australian bodybuilding competitions and is training now for his sixth National Amateur Body Building Association championship in May, setting the world record for the Oldest competing bodybuilder . 

    The pensioner only began bodybuilding five years ago and does five strength and cardio training sessions a week, including 4km on the treadmill and 45 minutes of weight training. "I'm nowhere nearly as good as these fellows who are 50 or 60. But age is no barrier. Life is what you make it ."   ( enlarge photo )   

  Mr Moon has had polio, open-heart surgery, suffered a cardiac arrest and was once pronounced clinically dead. He has had a pacemaker fitted, has suffered a twisted bowel, two minor strokes, a hernia and prostate problems, but instead of giving up he hit the gym.

   Mr Moon worked in the hospitality industry for 64 years, and even cooked for the Queen.    

Athletique Health Club ) in Preston, saw a sign and so I went on up. He said gym owner Graeme Lancefield - a former Mr Universe winner - was so supportive "that I've never looked back and I've never felt better".

"Give up never ever won a race ," he said. "I hit a hurdle a couple of years ago and then I walked past this gym. "I thought 'I might get up here and get my head together' and that's how I started."

 Mr Moon said he initially didn't think he was good enough, but Mr Lancefield convinced him otherwise. Now Mr Moon amazes younger members with his disciplined 2 1/2 hour training regime up to six days a week.

   He focuses on resistance training and pulley weights, and walks at least 4km a day.

   His positive attitude, determination and dedication has inspired body-building audiences and he often receives standing ovations. "The audience's appreciation and applause was the reason I came back a second time, it was marvellous," the Thornbury man said.     "I have to compete in a black pair of Speedos, you have to show your muscles you know and you're coloured. It's a bugger to get off. I was washing it off for two weeks. "But, in all, it's quite an experience. It keeps you young."

   He said he was stoked with the Guinness Record and hoped to one day meet the oldest female bodybuilder . "I bet she's overseas though," he said.

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