Onset resident Richard Wheeler, who participated in the Waikiki Roughwater Challenge, a 2.3-mile swim in Hawaii on September 5, finished the competition in 2 hours, 9 minutes.

Wheeler finished third in his class of 80-99 year old males.

Wheeler's wife Sandra, who did not travel to Hawaii, said she was able to watch her husband emerge from the water following the race because the organization offered a live video feed of the swim online.

Wheeler's daughter, Jennifer, watched in Hawaii.

"We could hear Jennifer yelling, 'Go, dad, go!'" Sandra said with a laugh.

The swim course is in the Kapua Channel across Waikiki. It was Wheeler's third time participating in the event, the first being when he was 45 years old.

“You can't beat the aging process,” Wheeler said before leaving for Hawaii. “But you should give it a run for its money.”