Florida Update from the National Senior Games (As of Saturday, July 15)
More than 600 Florida Senior Games athletes came to the 2023 National Senior Games, in Pittsburgh, PA, to waive their Terrible Towels and Raise the Jolly Roger.
The City of Champions said, “Ok, let’s see what you’ve got.”
As of Saturday evening, July 15, eight days into the competition, Florida leads all states with 315 total medals (133 gold, 79 silver and 113 bronze). The total is 58 more than the second highest medal winning state of North Carolina, according to nsga.com.
Whether the venue was Plain Grove Township, the site for Cycling Road Races, more than 40 miles north of downtown Pittsburgh, the Track and Field venue in Oakdale, southwest of downtown, or the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in the heart of Pittsburgh, on the Allegheny River, Florida athletes were collecting medals.
Here’s a few stories from the 2023 National Senior Games in Western Pennsylvania’s largest small town. Please note, this update does not include complete results. More updates are forthcoming.
From the Archery Range
Jake Pettit, of Hudson, won a silver medal in the Men’s Compound Release 70-74 age group with a two-day score of 1741, nine points behind the gold medal winner. He led the age group after the first day with an 881 score, but dropped to an 861 on the second day of shooting.
Alice Parrish, from Sarasota, was the Women’s Compound Release 75-79 age group gold medalist with a score of 1447, more than 60 points ahead of the silver medalist.
On the Basketball Court
Florida Basketball teams have been quite successful driving the lane and hitting outside shots with four teams leaving the David L. Lawrence Convention Center with medals hanging from their neck. Two more teams are in the hunt to do the same.
Longtime National Senior Games medal winners, the Clearwater Aces won the Men’s 80+ Division Gold Medal going undefeated in seven games. The Aces defeated Peachtree Bank 32-21, in the championship game. The Aces led the game from start to finish and held a 19-15 halftime lead. Harry Carothers hit a trio of three pointers to start the second half and built the Aces lead to 29-17 and the eventual win.
The Villages Seabreeze 65+ Women’s team claimed the silver medal in the Division 2 bracket compiling a 6-2 record.
Florida-Georgia Line won the bronze medal in Men’s 65+ Division 2 bracket, flip flopping their pool play and bracket play records. In pool play, Florida-Georgia line won only one of four games. In bracket play, they won three of four games for the medal.
The Limestone Cowboys won the bronze medal in the Men’s 85+ Division, winning two and losing two games in the five-team pool play division.
Going into Sunday’s Championship bracket, the Broward Heat Women’s 50+ and 60+ had strong pool play records with the 50+ team going undefeated in four games and the 60+ team winning three of four games.
On the Pickleball Courts
Mike Welter, of Cape Coral, and George Batista won the Men’s Doubles 70-74 age group 3.5 and under gold medal.
Gabriel Wong, of Ponte Vedra, and Gil Russo, of Jacksonville, won the Men’s Doubles 75-79 age group 4.5 and under silver medal.
Paul Hudanich, of The Villages and Ted Meyer, won the Men’s Doubles 65-69 4.5 and above gold medal.
Gabriel Wong won the Men’s Singles 75-79 age group, 4.0 and under silver medal.
Owen Mitchell, from Eustis, won the Men’s Singles 65-69 age group 4.5 and above gold medal.
Tobias Kaye, from Boca Raton, won the Men’s Singles 70-74 age group 4.5 and above bronze medal.
Erica Gonzalez, of Poinciana, and Eric Wilson, from The Villages, won the Mixed Doubles 50-54 age group, 4.5 and above, gold medal.
Paul Hudanich and Sherry Scheer won the Mixed Doubles 65-69, 4.5 and above gold medal.
Deb Harrison, from The Villages, and Brad Baley won the Mixed Doubles 75-79, 4.5 and above gold medal.
Larae Dunnellon, from The Villages, and Susan Cole won the Women’s Doubles 75-79 age group, 3.5 division bronze medals.
Deb Harrison and Ruth Weil, both of The Villages, won the Women’s Doubles 70-74 age group, 4.0/4.5 division gold medal.
Deb Harrison won the Women’s Singles 70-74 age group, 3/5/4.0/4.5 and under division silver medal.
On the Bikes
Karla Antonio, from Stuart, won the Women’s 50-54 5K and 10K Cycling Time Trials gold medals.
Tom Redpath, from Boynton Beach, won the Men’s 55-59 5K and 10K Cycling Time Trials gold medals.
Kimberly Besuden, of Tavares (pictured above), won the Women’s 65-60 10K Cycling Time Trials gold medal.
On the Links
George Ringham, from Sun City Center, won the Men’s 90-94 age group bronze medal with a three-day score of 147, playing nine holes each day.
At the Track and on the Field
Tiny Cazel, from The Villages, set a National Senior Games record in the 85-89 age group for the discus with a throw of 17.37 meters (57 feet), breaking the previous record of 16.82 meters. Cazel also won a long jump and 50 meter dash gold medal.
Andrea Collier, of Orlando, won the Women’s 55-59 50 and 100 meter dash gold medals. Her time of 13.71 in the 100 meter dash was the overall best time of all women’s runners.
Brian Hankerson, from Hollywood, won the Men’s 60-64 High Jump and Long Jump gold medal,
On the Lanes
John Israel, of Pensacola, won the Bowling Men’s Singles 75-79 age group gold medal with a three game score of 699, defeating the silver medalist by six pins.
In the Pool
Linda Fulton, from Celebration, won three swimming gold medals in the 70-74 age group. She topped the field in the 100 and 200 yard backstroke and the 200 yard freestyle.
The 2023 National Senior Games continues through Tuesday, July 18, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Visit www.nsga.com for more information and follow the Florida Senior Games on Facebook for all of the latest from the 2023 National Senior Games.
CLICK HERE for a listing of Florida Athletes by Sport and CLICK HERE for a listing of Florida Athletes by City.