George (and other older men) chose to be in a competition with younger men. He knew what he was getting into, and there never was going to be special rules or reduced physicality for people based on age. Everyone is on the same playing field.
What's more, George is right, that in a competition or battle, and especially one explicitly about manhood, every man needs to fight his own battles. It insults and dishonors a man to be assisted in such cases.
I hate it in stories like this where a character takes it personally when others are just competing according to the rules laid out for a competition. It's ridiculous.