The 2022 National Senior Games, presented by Humana, is being held in the Greater Fort Lauderdale Area, with more than 11,000 athletes registered to compete. Among those athletes are a total of 1,656 Florida Senior Games athletes competing in the 21 sports offered.
The Games began on Tuesday, May 10, and will conclude on May 23, with a Celebration of Athletes to be held on Monday, May 16. The Games were originally scheduled for 2021 but were postponed due to COVID-19 precautions in the Greater Fort Lauderdale area.
Athletes from every area of the state will represent Florida, including more than 70 from the Jacksonville area.
Among the notable athletes from this area is Gabriel Wong, the 2020 Florida Senior Games Athlete of the Year, from Ponte Vedra Beach. Wong earned the 2020 honors winning gold medals in pickleball and tennis in the 70-74 age group, and he repeated the feat in the 2021 Florida Senior Games, presented by Humana. At the 2022 National Senior Games, Wong is registered to play men’s singles tennis in the 75-79 age group.
Michael Brown, a record-setting javelin thrower from Jacksonville in three different age groups, will compete in the 65-69 age group javelin throw. Brown holds the all-time best javelin throw of 226 feet, accomplishing the feat in 2004. He is the javelin throw age group record holder in the 50-54, 55-59 and 65-69 age groups.
Jacksonville Beach’s Judith Daniel is registered to compete in six running events at the track and field meet, from the 50-meter dash to the 1500-meter run. She will also be on the tennis courts, playing women’s singles in the 80-84 age group. At the 2021 Florida Senior Games, Daniels won a women’s singles gold medal and earned gold medals at the 2020 Games, in all of the events she will be competing in at the 2022 National Senior Games.
Representing the 90+ age groups is Don Husmann of Atlanta Beach. Husmann is registered to compete in the 90-94 age group in men’s singles table tennis. At the 2020 Florida Senior Games, Husmann won gold medals in racquetball and table tennis.
Area athletes competing in the Games
Christine Booras, archery — 65-69, Jacksonville
John Grexa, basketball — 85+, St. Augustine
Mike Hamilton, basketball — 85+, Jacksonville
David Hudson, beach volleyball — 60+, St. Augustine
Ann Wiggins, cornhole — 85-89, Jacksonville
William Hutchinson, cycling — 85-89, Jacksonville Beach
Barbara Rubel, cycling — 65-69, Green Cove Springs
George Olsen, cycling — 80-84, St. Augustine
Scott Gross, cycling, men’s — 60-64, Orange Park
Darryl Forrest, cycling — 80-84, Ponte Vedra
John McGarry, cycling — 70-74, Ponte Vedra Beach
William Walker, golf — 75-79, Ponte Vedra Beach
Diane Zaring, golf — 70-74, Ponte Vedra
David Hodges, golf — 65-69, Jacksonville
Willie Sugar, golf — 60-64, Jacksonville
Kenneth Furman, pickleball — 70-74, St. Augustine Beach
Parker Pearman, pickleball — 60-64, Jacksonville
Jay Phillips, pickleball — 70-74, Jacksonville
Sharon Ahearn, pickleball, Ponte Vedra
Harold Dockins, race walk — 60-64, St. Augustine
Frank Lopez, racquetball — 55-59, Jacksonville
Paul Smith, road race — 80-84, St. Johns
Bruce Braverman, road race — 75-79, Green Cove Springs
Mary Warren, road race — 75-79, Jacksonville
Judy Paukert, swimming — 70-74, Ponte Vedra
Rebecca Miles, swimming — 70-74, St. Augustine
Sally Moloney, swimming — 65-69, St. Augustine
William Elliott, swimming — 65-69, Jacksonville
Donald St. Denis, swimming — 60-64, Jacksonville
James Cardozo, swimming — 50-54, Jacksonville
Winston Dowridge, table tennis — 55-59, Jacksonville
Don Husmann, table tennis — 90-94, Atlantic Beach
Douglas Gallagher, tennis — 65-69, St. Johns
Gabriel Wong, tennis — 75-79, Ponte Vedra
Carter Lord, tennis — 75-79, St. Augustine
Martha Poitevent, tennis — 75-79, St. Augustine
Michele Rainwater, tennis — 75-79, Jacksonville
Jeffrey Nykerk, tennis — 60-64, Jacksonville
Jessica Franzini, tennis — 55-59, Jacksonville Beach
Louis Franzini, tennis — 55-59, Jacksonville Beach
Bob Rooney, track and field — 85-89, Ponte Vedra Beach
Patricia Schwadron, track and field — 55-59, St. Augustine
George Nelson, track and field — 75-79, Jacksonville
Michael Brown, track and field — 65-69, Jacksonville
Jody Keach, track and field — 60-64, Jacksonville
Harry Boyd, track and field — 80-84, Neptune Beach
Chris Scillieri, track and field — 50-54, Jacksonville
Benjamin Santos, triathlon — 65-69, St. Augustine
Multiple sport athletes
Glenn Wilkinson, recumbent cycling time trials, track & field, triathlon — 60-64, Ponte Vedra
Todd Pye, cycling, road race — 55-59, Jacksonville
Julian Rainwater, tennis, track and field — 75-79, Jacksonville
Thelma Ewell, cornhole; golf, women’s — 55-59, Jacksonville
Judith Daniel, tennis, track and field — 80-84, Jacksonville Beach