So what is the secret to a long life? Why not ask Britain’s oldest living Olympian, Bill Lucas, who turned 100 yesterday?
Is it being in great shape? As an Olympic competitor that would seem obvious. Perhaps it’s also living life to the full? Mr Lucas was a former Bomber Command pilot. Or maybe it’s a career in insurance?
Yes, believe it or not, Mr Lucas worked full-time in insurance while living off rations and training for his Olympic appearance.
Lucas competed in the 1948 Wembley Olympic Games and ran 5,000m in 14:30.6 during the heats – sadly not quite good enough to qualify for the final. In fact, Lucas told the BBC that missing out on the final is what led to his participation in the Second World War.
“I spent six years in the service and I had done very little training and I’d missed 1940 and 1944 where I might well have got a medal or something like that in those two years but Hitler deprived me of those so I went and bombed them instead,” he said.
While working in insurance he trained for the Olympics and competed for his country aged 32 having already taken part in 81 missions across Germany.
As part of his 100
th birthday celebrations yesterday, Lucas spoke about his life at Belgrave Harriers running club in Wimbledon and was presented with a 172-year-old bottle of Madeira to mark the occasion.
The real secret of his long life, however? He claims it’s an evening whisky every day.
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