Florida Senior Games allows Toni Gibbs to Grow Bolder

Views: 1,295
Added: Tue. Dec 30, 2008 2:39pm

• » print
• » report
• » email

Over the course of 10 years working at the Florida Senior Games State Championships, the staff has fielded a myriad of calls about a variety of things.  One such call came in during our early years, either 1999 or 2000, from Toni Gibbs, a cyclist competing in her first Senior Games.

She wanted to know how many athletes were registered in her age group.  When I told her there were only three, she became very excited because she was guaranteed a medal.

 

Fast forward to 2008 and Toni is a veteran senior athlete who plans to travel to the San Francisco Bay area and compete in the 2009 National Senior Games Triathlon.

 

Over the last 10 years, Toni has been a regular medalist in the Florida Senior Games.  She has run in plenty of road races, including the New York Marathon.  Her personal best marathon time is 5 hours and 41 minutes.

 

What’s most impressive about her triathlon experience is the fact that the just learned how to swim at age 53. 

 

“I’ve met so many friends at Senior Games events,” she said at the Cycling 5 & 10K Time Trials in Cape Coral.  “This whole experience just gives you a better quality of life.”

 

Making friends and improving the quality of your life.  What more could you ask for from the Florida Senior Games? 

 

As the number of candles increases on our birthday cakes, what is it that improves your quality of life?  Is it friends?  Is it personal accomplishments, either through sports or other activities?  Share with the rest of us?