Senior’s win streak at 17 years
On the day when table tennis took center stage at the Florida Senior Games State Championships, John Shultz of Inverness won a medal in the sport for the 17th consecutive year, dating back to 1993.
Shultz, who won a gold medal in singles and a silver in doubles in the 70-74 age group, holds the longest consecutive-year medal winning streak in the 18-year history of the Games.
Shultz defeated Ray Look of Dunedin in the men’s singles final, winning the deciding fifth game of the match 15-12. It is his 12th overall gold medal and 10th in singles. He now has won gold medals in four different age groups – the first gold in 1993 in the 55-59 age group.
Al Palumbo of Clearwater and Danuta Andrzejewska of Fort Lauderdale completed gold medal sweeps of all three events, winning gold medals in singles, doubles and mixed doubles.
Palumbo won gold medals in the 75-79 age group of men’s singles, men’s doubles (with partner John Campbell of Cape Coral) and mixed doubles (with partner Margo Lindsay).
Werner Stollenmeier of Cape Coral won a gold medal in men’s 55-59 singles play.
Nancy Meyer of North Fort Myers collected a silver medal in the women’s 50-54 singles division.
A total of 112 table tennis players competed Monday at the Estero Community Center.
Today’s schedule includes men’s golf at The Golf Club at Magnolia Landing in North Fort Myers, the 5 and 10K cycling time trials at Wilmington Parkway in Cape Coral and singles tennis begins at Florida Gulf Coast University.
The nine days of competition continues through Sunday at venues in Cape Coral and Lee County.