Monday, April 17, 2000
Athletes outpace old age
Competition strong at regionals
BY Sara J. Bennett
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Ray Witte isn't one of those aging baby boomers who bristle at being classified a “senior” citizen.
Covered in glory, Russ Witte (left) and son Ray Witte competed in the Ohio Senior Olympics.
(Gary Landers photo)
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It allows the Montgomery resident to compete side by side with his father in the Southwest Ohio Senior Olympics.
“I can't help being 50, but at least I can be as active as I can be,” the younger Mr. Witte said. “Better to burn out than to rust out.”
Mr. Witte and 83-year-old Russ Witte swam for medals Sunday at St. Xavier High School in the first events of this year's regional games.
“It's one of the neat things I can do with my dad,” Mr. Witte said as his father completed a lap in the 200-meter individual medley. “He gets a real kick out of introducing his 50-year-old son around, so to still be able to be your dad's kid is kind of a time warp.”
The Wittes join nearly 900 athletes competing this month in regional events ranging from track and field to horseshoes and table tennis.
The annual games are open to competitors starting at age 50. Top medal winners advance to state games this summer in Dayton. The national Senior Olympics will be in 2001 in Baton Rouge.
Russ Witte has competed since the 1980s and has won gold medals at four national games. Sunday, the retired engineer and former University of Cincinnati swimmer from College Hill participated — and won medals — in every event he entered.
“I made it,” he gasped after winning gold in his age group for the 200-meter individual medley, a demanding race that requires swimming four 50-meter pool lengths using four different strokes. “In that one, I'm just trying to finish.”
Ray Witte cheered his father on. A former Western Hills High School swimming champ and Miami University swimmer, he won three medals Sunday.
But Senior Olympics isn't just about winning.
Granted, competition can get intense, as it did Sunday when 1952 Olympic gold medalist Yoshi Oyakawa, 66, of Green Township got into the water. Spectators and athletes were just as supportive of a 90-year-old man who took several minutes backstroking to his finish line.
Nelson Stone, 61, came from Dayton Sunday to compete in his first Senior Olympics.
“I wanted to see if I still had it, and I find out that I don't,” Mr. Stone laughed after swimming the 50-meter backstroke.
Vickie Memmel of Dent said she participates to keep scoliosis from putting her in a wheelchair. Senior Olympics is just one activity on the 78-year-old's schedule. Ms. Memmel will be named Senior Sportswoman of the Year this month by the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky Women's Sports Association.
Folks like that inspire Ray Witte.
“A lot of these people are lifetime achievers, whether it be professional, service or corporate type things,” he said. “I believe that long life and that kind of vitality go hand in hand.”
The Senior Olympics continue through May 14.
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