Jim Taotahi has no delusions about his sporting ability.
Among the 54-year-old prison warden's main reasons for competing in triathlon are "to get my weight down", and to share time with his active family. That doesn't mean the Hawke's Bay Multisports Club member doesn't set himself personal goals. Last year it was stepping up from club short-course events to the IronMaori half-ironman.
And it was that achievement, along with improvement at club level, which saw him feted at the club's annual prizegiving alongside world class competitors like Ali Hollington, who finished three hours ahead of him in the IronMaori as first woman home.
Hollington, currently in Europe, is the club's star - her outstanding 2011-12 achievements including qualification for the World Ironman (Kona), Long Distance and Age-Group championships, and winning the 45-49 age-group at the 2011 Challenge Roth Ironman (the Kona of the Challenge series) which earned her "Performance of the Year".
But Jim, named most improved senior or veteran male, typifies the true spirit of the club, supporting its calendar of events since starting in team races "five or six years ago".