Florida Senior Games Athletes Compete in Events Throwing Heavy Objects

CLICK HERE for 2021 Florida Senior Games photos.

CLICK HERE for full results

FORT LAUDERDALE – It was a day of throwing heavy objects Friday at the 2021 Florida Senior Games, presented by Humana.

Horseshoes pitchers threw two to three pound horseshoes at the Clearwater Horseshoes Club and Hammer Throwers tossed six to 12 pound hammers at the Ansin Sports Complex, in Miramar.

While horseshoes has been a regular occurring sport in the 30 years of the Florida Senior Games, it was an historic night with the hammer throw being contested for the first time since 2000.

“We’ve been holding the track and field events at high schools in past years and they don’t have the facilities for the hammer throw,” said FSG Track and Field Sport Director Tony Tussing, of DeLand.

Mirarmar’s Ansin Sports Complex is an IAAF (International Associations of Athletics Federations) Certified facility that hosts national and international competitions.

Of the 22 athletes competing, Roland Jones, of Seffner, had the longest throw of the night, at 125 feet, five inches, to win the gold medal and set a new record in the 65-69 age group. Overall seven (two women, five men) age group records were set in the hammer throw.

The longest women’s throw was recorded by Cassandra Ferguson, of Warner Robins, GA, to win the 55-59 age group gold medal. The 2009 FSG Female Athlete of the Year, Avis Vaught (pictured above), won the gold medal and set a 70-74 age group record with a throw of 57 feet, three inches.

Among those throwing horseshoes, Bill Kraengel, of Tarpon Springs, had the best men’s game and best overall ringer average He pitched 18 ringers out of 30 shoes for 60% in one of his games and averaged 41.67% ringers for both games. It was Kraengel’s third gold medal in the 75-79 age group in the last four years.

Claudette Braswell, of Lake Wales, had the best women’s game and best overall ringer average. She pitched 13 ringers out of 30 shoes for 43.33% in one of her games and averaged 35.00% for both games.

Braswell, the 2007 Florida Senior Games Female Athlete of the Year, won her 13th horseshoes gold medal since 2008.

The 30th Anniversary Florida Senior Games continues Saturday with five sports in action.

Schedule for Saturday, December 11, 2021
Track and Field (Field Events), Ansin Sports Complex, Events begin at 8:00 a.m.
5K Road Race: Vista View Park, Race begins at 8:30 a.m.
5K Race Walk/Power Walk, Visit View Park, Race begins at 8:30 a.m.
Volleyball (Women), David Posnack Jewish Community Center, Games begin at 9:00 a.m.
Swimming, Coral Springs Aquatic Center, Events begin at 10:00 a.m.
Bowling (M/W Doubles, Mixed Doubles), Strikers Family Sports Center, Men’s and Women’s Doubles begins at 1:00 p.m.

The 2021 Florida Senior Games, presented by Humana, is an annual program of the Florida Sports Foundation, the lead sports promotion and development organization of the state of Florida, in conjunction with the Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB. For more information about the Florida Senior Games, visit www.floridaseniorgames.com and find more interesting stories by following the Florida Senior Games on Facebook.