Mike Gibbons © Richard Hall Photography
At 89, Mike Gibbons, will be the oldest ‘Team GB’ competitor at this year’s World Transplant Games which start this weekend in Dresden, Germany.
Mike, from Draughton, a retired technician for Yorkshire Television (now ITV Yorkshire) was first diagnosed with chronic kidney failure at the age of 50 and spent two-and-a-half years on dialysis before accepting a donor kidney from wife, Ann, in 2007.
He recently won four medals at the British Transplant Games, in Oxford – three silver in squash, the 5k, and 800m races, and a gold in the 1500m. The British Transplant Games are the flagship event of the charity Transplant Sport and have been running for over 45 years, since the first “Transplant Olympics” in Portsmouth in 1978.
Mike competes in the ‘under 70s’ age group—the oldest category available at the British Games. His first appearance was in 2008, and he has since won countless medals at both national and international levels.
This Saturday, he travels to Dresden to compete in the World Transplant Games in the top age group, the ‘under 80s’ category.
“I have accumulated many medals over the years,” continued Mike. “I accept that at my age, I don’t have many competitors, so sometimes I get a medal because I am the only one – but I treasure them nonetheless.
“I’ve always been interested in sport – climbing mountains, running and squash. I’ve tried to maintain my fitness and I’ve never smoked, don’t drink too much and I exercise a lot. I eat to live not live to eat and that’s how I have always been.”
Michael turns 90 on February 14, 2026, and has already booked a trip to the Antarctic to celebrate.
“I’m very into mountaineering and wild places, so its somewhere different. I’ve always wanted to go so I have booked it to commemorate my ‘big’ birthday.
“I’ve no intention of giving up competing at the Games just yet, but I am going to have accept that time is not on my side and someday I will have to curb my enthusiasm – but I will cross that bridge when I get there.”
Until then, Michael will continue to train two to three days a week.
Ann, who used to accompany him to the Games, is now cared for in a local nursing home as she suffers from dementia.
Michael added: “I’ll be forever grateful to Ann for donating her kidney.
“At every race I carry a little pic of Ann and I together at previous Games. I hang it around my neck when I attend the games so she’s always with me.
“She was well known and loved the Games. People always ask after her. It’s another way of honouring the concept of donation – that someone gives an organ, you never forget their gift.”
He is also grateful to the medical and nursing team at St Luke’s Hospital’s renal unit, part of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
“I am forever indebted to the wonderful medical care – which continues to this day –which has allowed me to enjoy my sport. I cannot speak highly enough of Dr Helen Ford and Dr Russell Roberts. Thanks also to the wonderful renal team who continue to keep an eye on me,” he explained.
Naturally, Mike is a passionate advocate for organ donation and urges others to join the Organ Donor Register as “it makes a huge difference to the lives of others.”
“Organ donation is wonderful,” he concluded. “There’s more need now than ever there has ever been. It’s a life-saving and life changing operation. Eighteen years more life – I think about it nearly every day, especially now with Ann’s situation. I owe her my life. I am truly grateful.”