Area athletes compete in national senior games

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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