Florida Senior Games Powerlifter Has Some Ups and Downs
The FSG daily wrapup, courtesy of SilverSneakers®
Hollywood actors and actresses are well known for gaining and losing weight for various roles. Robert DeNiro was reported to have gained 60 pounds for his role in Raging Bull.
Robert Cseh (at right), a 88-year old Powerlifter from Port St. Lucie dropped 16 pounds for the 2023 Florida Senior Games, presented by Humana. He lost the weight to set a record in a lower weight class.
After setting a record for his age group in 2022 in the 181 lb weight class, he needed a new challenge. First came the weight loss challenge to drop the 16 pounds for the 165 lb weight class. Then came the training to set the new record challenge.
On his first bench press lift of 70 kilos (154 pounds), he set a Florida State Record in the age and weight class. He re-established it on his second lift of 72.5 kilos.
“Because of the weight loss, I lost some strength and pounds in the lift, compared to the record in the heavier weight class,” Cseh said after completing the three bench presses.
What’s next for Florida’s Champion 85-89 age group Powerlifter?
“I’m going to gain the weight back and then some to set a record in the 198 lb weight class,” he said. “I guess it’s kind of an ego thing, But I’ll have something to look forward to. It keeps me alive and focused.”
He plans on accomplishing the third weight class record at the 2024 Florida Senior Games, in Florida’s Sports Coast/Pasco County.
Cseh has been powerlifting in the Florida Senior Games since 2015. He has also competed in Track and Field events in the Sunshine State Games and Local Florida Senior Games Series Qualifiers, throwing the javelin, discus and shot put.
Plenty of Cseh family members were in the Hyatt Regency Hotel Conference Room audience including his daughter Sharon, who claims to be his personal assistant. His brother Eddie, was quick to point out Sharon’s services are desperately needed since her father does not own a cell phone or computer.
It’s probably a good thing for Robert to not dabble into modern technology. It might just take away from his focus of setting Powerlifting records.
Other notable performances from Florida Senior Games Saturday
98-Year Old Shuffleboard Legend Add Florida Senior Games to his Collection of Accolades
The 2023 Florida Senior Games Most Experienced Athlete, 98-year old George Darwin, of Zephyrhills, was on the courts at the Zephyrhills Shuffleboard Club.
Darwin, a 2007 Florida Shuffleboard Association Central District Hall of Fame Inductee, defeated Bob Rials, of Palm Harbor, in his one match.
“He’s a local legend,” said FSG Shuffleboard Sport Director, Glenn Monroe. “Everybody wants to be George.”
Darwin turns 99 in less than a month on January 6, 2024.
Crossing the Finish Line in Record Timie
Paul Shuler, of Daytona Beach, was the top overall finisher at the 5K Road Race, with a time of 18:32.84, to win the gold medal in the 55-59 age group, and establish a new record in the age group by seven seconds. He topped the previous record, set in 1998, by Richard Quevillon, of Sarasota.
The top women’s finisher was Janet Lamoreaux, of Lakeland, with a time of 23:10.44. It was Lamoreaux’s second overall top 5K finish within just over 12 hours. She was the top overall finisher in the 5000 Meter Power Walk on Friday night.
Field Events Records Broken
At the Field Events portion of the Track and Field meet Saturday at Cypress Creek High School, a total of 10 age group records were broken.
Leading the pack was Madelaine “Tiny” Cazel who added her name to a fourth age group record in the Long Jump, Discus and Shot Put. She holds records in the 70-74 through 85-89 age groups in all three of those events, Her discus throw of 61 feet, 4 inches, topped the previous record, set by Ethel Lehmann, of Largo, in 2015, by more than 22 feet. Cazel also set an age group in the Javelin throw Friday night, giving her four record-setting performances in two days.
Florida Senior Games Pole Vaulter extraordinaire, Joe Johnston, of Apopka, set his fourth age group record with a leap of 7 feet, 6 inches. Johnston has records in the 55-59, 65-69, 75-79 and now the 80-84 age group. He has been pole vaulting in the Florida Senior Games since 2001.
Pickleball Completes Four Days with Record Number of Players
After 43 hours of Pickleball at the Sarah Vande Berg Tennis and Wellness Center, that began at 8:00 a.m. Wednesday, concluded with Men’s and Women’s Singles.
The final gold medal went to Angelo Izquierdo, of San Antonio, in the Men’s Singles 70-74 age group, 3.0-3.5 skill level. Izquierdo defeated James Pfleidner, of Avila, Indiana, 15-4 to wrap up the competition.
Visit www.floridaseniorgames.com/results for complete results from the Games.
CLICK HERE to see 2023 Florida Senior Games videos on YouTube.
The 32nd Annual Florida Senior Games concludes Sunday with four sports in three locations.
Sunday, December 10
Badminton – St. Leo University Health and Fitness Center; 9:00 a.m. start time
Power Walk (1500 meter) – Cypress Creek High School, Lutz; 9:00 a.m.
Race Walk (1500 meter) – Cypress Creek High School, Lutz; 9:00 a.m.
Shuffleboard – Zephyrhills Shuffleboard Club; 9:00 a.m.
Track and Field (Running Events) – Cypress Creek High School, Lutz; 9:00 a.m.
The 2023 Florida Senior Games is an annual program of the Florida Sports Foundation, the official sports promotion and development organization of the State of Florida, presented in conjunction with Florida’s Sports Coast and SilverSneakers®.