Inverness senior medals 16th year in a row
By winning a gold medal in men’s doubles, John Shultz of Inverness extended his streak of earning Florida Senior Games State Championship medals to 16 years. It’s the longest consecutive-years streak of any Senior Games athlete.
Shultz and his partner Deane Chickering won the gold in the 70-74 age group Monday at the Estero Community Center as 112 table tennis players competed in singles, doubles, men’s, women’s and mixed doubles.
Shultz’s streak began in 1993, competing in the 55-59 age group. During the 16-year span, Shultz has won 11 golds, four silvers and one bronze.
Long-time women’s doubles partners, Jan Cline and Dorothy Hann of Sun City Center, claimed their 11th gold medal, winning the 70-74 age group. The duo won five gold medals in the 60-64 age group between 1996 and 2000, three golds from 2001 and 2003 in the 65-69 age group and have won the last three years in th 70-74 age group.
Cline also won a gold medal in mixed doubles with Joseph Cincotta and a bronze in singles competition. Hann won a gold medal in women’s singles competition and a silver medal in mixed doubles.
Michael Rusaw of The Villages won a pair of gold medals in men’s singles and doubles 65-69 age group. Rusaw was undefeated in six matches to advance out of the 18-player, men’s singles bracket and teamed with Kenneth Riggs of Lady Lake to win the men’s doubles gold medal.
In the final day of bowling, Gerald Brunette of Naples won his third medal in three days. He won two silver medals in men’s doubles and mixed doubles Saturday, a gold in men’s singles Sunday and a silver medal Monday as a member of the Intowishin team.
The final day of pickleball saw Jim Wright of The Villages win three matches to claim his third overall gold medal and second consecutive men’s singles title in the 65-69 age group. Wright won a gold medal in mixed doubles in the 65-69 age group with Jean Kiker Sunday and a men’s doubles gold medal Saturday with partner Pete McNamara.
Tuesday is the fourth day of competition in the 2008 Florida Senior Games State Championships with three sports in action.
Men’s golf gets under way at The Golf Club at Magnolia Landing in North Fort Myers, singles tennis begins at Florida Gulf Coast University and the 5K & 10K cycling time trials unfold at Wilmington Parkway in Cape Coral.
The Games feature more than 2,000 athletes age 50 and over competing in 23 sports. The Games are a program of the Florida Sports Foundation, presented in conjunction with the Lee County Sports Authority and Lee County Parks and Recreation.
For complete online results, visit www.flasports.com.