Lyn Moreno
On Saturday, March 18, 11 SaddleBrooke swimmers wowed the competition at the Southern Arizona Senior Games in Green Valley. The SaddleBrooke swimmers conquered the swimming competition walking away with 18 gold, 13 silver and seven bronze medals. Top winners were Al Worth and Carol Honeywell with four gold medals apiece. Jill Fritz earned three gold medals; Theresa Ashton, Harold Peters and Lyn Moreno earned two gold, while the rest of the SaddleBrooke swimmers, Elizabeth Henley, Bev Schulz, Don Merritt, Jack Fritz and Leslie Kurywchak earned a whopping 18 medals among them!
A few of the SaddleBrooke swimmers were newcomers to swimming competition. First time swimmer Carol Honeywell dominated her age group, winning every race she swam. Theresa Ashton, who recently participated in the Let’s Swim clinic and then decided to try competition, walked away with a medal from every swim. Leslie Kurywchak, in her first meet, medaled in two breast stroke events. Swim team member Martha Takakoshi was an invaluable help on deck cheering everyone on and ensuring all new swimmers made it to their events on time.
The Arizona Senior Olympic Games are open to any competitor over 50 years old, regardless of residency and are held in venues throughout Arizona. Annually hundreds of competitors converge from around the state to participate in 32 various events. Swimming is only one of many sports competitions held during the games. The other events include: Basketball Shoot, Bean Bag, Bicycling (four mile and 12 mile), Billiards (8 ball, 9 ball), Bocce, Bowling, Canasta, Chess, Cribbage, Euchre, Field Events (Softball Throw, Punt-Pass-Kick), Golf Skills (Closest to the Pin, Putting, Chip Shot), Hearts, Horseshoes, Mahjongg (National – Wright Patterson), Pickleball, Pinochle (two hand – four hand), Powerlifting, Racquetball, Sheepshead, Shuffleboard, Table Tennis, Tennis, Texas Hold ‘em, Wallyball, Volleyball (Sand – Water).
What is up next for the SaddleBrooke swimmers? They are working hard in the pool preparing for the State Championships that will be held in Goodyear the second weekend in April. The big question is—will they come home with their fifth USMS Arizona State Championship in a row? With our strong base of almost 100 veteran swimmers ages 45 to 100 years old, the new swimmers that have joined the club after participating in the Let’s Swim program and the energy provided by volunteer head coach Doug Springer and coach Phil Simpson, the SaddleBrooke swimmers are pumped up and optimistic! Stay tuned for our results.
SaddleBrooke Swim Club encourages all SaddleBrooke residents to join us in the pool!