The 82-year-old retiree who kayaks, gyms and dragon boat races 

Often heard is the saying, ‘it’s all in the mind’, and for Warriewood Brooks resident, Neil Millgate, that couldn’t be more true. At 82 years of age, he's proved that strength isn’t just about muscles – it's a mindset.  

“You are as young as you feel,” Neil says. “You can be old at 70 or you can be young at 82, as I like to think I am.” 

These days, he’s hitting the Warriewood Brook gym three times a week for an hour; on the water for Dragon Boat Racing another three times a week for 90 minutes, and kayaking on two days for two hours – each session!   

“People think of retirement as slowing down, but for me, it’s been the opposite,” he says. “I’ve taken up new sports, made new friends, and traveled the world. It’s been fantastic."

Neil’s fitness journey only started at 60, inspired by his wife’s battle with breast cancer and her discovery of the sport. Since then, what began as a way to support her in her recovery, became a passion that has taken him around the world, winning multiple championships along the way.  

“After a few weeks of her doing it, she said that I might like to do it. That was in 2006 and there hasn’t been a month since then where we haven’t been dragon boat racing.” 

In 2024, Neil competed in the Dragon Boat Club Crew World Championships in Raveena, Italy where and most recently, he competed in the Sydney Lunar New Year Dragon Boat Festival where he won gold.  

“There’s no I in team,” Neil says. “You have to be out there, you have to put in 100 per cent when it's needed because you know that all your mates who you’re with or against, they’re all [putting] in the effort. 

“They’ve trained as hard as you and you just get let your side down. The team spirit in the dragon boat is just phenomenal.”

But life wasn’t always just sports for Neil, who says he would’ve worked much longer if he could’ve. 

“I didn’t want to retire,” he says. “I worked up until I was 74 and I enjoyed working ... I cut back in the last four to five years but when I chose to fully retire, I found I could do various sports. 

“It’s quite funny because when you do retire, you have all this time, and you need to fill it in as best you can, and I chose to do it the way I have which is dragon boat racing, gym and kayaking. I love doing it.” 

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