By Jean Cole
With a chest full of ribbons and medals, Regina Smith Pierce must have felt a little like Olympic swimming superstars Mark Spitz or Michael Phelps.
She recently won 10 medals and numerous ribbons – more than any other Limestone County senior citizen – at the Alabama Masters Games in Florence.
She and four other Limestone County residents made an excellent showing at the Oct. 5 competition.
They were among more than 600 Alabamians age 55and older who competed in events hosted by Florence Parks and Recreation Department and the local Area Agency on Aging.
The five Limestone County residents returned home with 23 medals.
During the opening ceremonies, competitors from each of the nine districts in Alabama marched into Florence-Lauderdale Coliseum accompanied by Brooks High School band.
Cheers erupted as the torch was lit and the teams were welcomed to the state games.
• Pierce competed in the 55-59 age group and earned gold medals in basketball, billiards, horseshoes, softball throw, Dominoes, Frisbee throw, Nerf football and the two-mile walk. She also won two bronze medals in bowling and shuffleboard.
• Ron Altergott competed in the 65-69 age group and won eight medals, including gold medals in table tennis and the two-mile run, and silver medals in Dominoes and swimming, including the 25-yard freestyle, 25-yard backstroke, 25-yard breast stroke, 50-yard freestyle and 50-yard backstroke.
• Fred Mitchell II competed in the 60-64 age group and earned gold medals in both the two-mile walk and table tennis.
• Shirley Yarbrough competed in the 65-69 age group and earned a gold medal in the two-mile walk and a silver medal in basketball.
• Janice Miller competed in the 60-64 age group and earned a gold medal in the two-mile walk.
History
The Masters Games were founded in 1990 to expand services for senior citizens, said Sheilia Long, nutrition coordinator for Limestone County Council on Aging in Athens.
To implement the program statewide, a board of directors was formed, made up of two representatives from each of the nine area districts in the state. Any state resident age 55 or older may compete in local district game to see if they can advance to the state games. Next year, they will be held in Trussville.
For more information about becoming a competitor in the state Masters Games, call Long at (256) 233-6412.
