He covered the 500m in the 80 years and over division in a very creditable 2m 14.6s. That's about 16s outside the world record Taylor held for the distance, which he set six years ago.
His skill as an athlete didn't go unnoticed and after the Empire Games he was asked if he was interested in competing in the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland.
"I didn't even know what the Olympics were. I was just a back country boy," he told the Chronicle.
Before the Auckland games (now known as the Commonwealth Games), Taylor had shifted up to Rotorua to work on a sheep station with his brother.
"I've always been a runner and did a lot of road running. The Empire Games were run on grass and I didn't run in shoes. Never did. Used to run everywhere in bare feet," he said.
Taylor was at the Masters Games in Wanganui in 2009, setting a few records and collecting golds. At that event he rowed the 300m, 500m, 1000m and 2000m events.
While he's been a world record holder for his age, he matter-of-factly explains that "records are made to be broken".
He's on the rowing machine back at his Pukekohe home every day and knocks off 5km each time.
"I can usually bowl that off in 29 minutes but when you're rowing by yourself it can be a bit of a struggle," he said.
He puts his long life and fitness down to no alcohol or smokes.
"My last drink was in 1970 and I had one puff of a fag when I was 14 and that was the last time."