I photographed the York County Senior Games swim meet a few days ago. It was awesome.
© 2011 by The York Daily Record/Sunday News. Lore Gutmann, 82 of York City, kisses Bryson Neidigh, 7 of Springettsbury Township, on the cheek after he presented her with her gold medal for the 50-yard breaststroke in the 80-84 age division in the York County Senior Games swim meet on Friday, June 24, 2011, at Central York High School. Seniors ranging in age from 51 to 88 swam three strokes and an individual medley to compete in the 10th annual York County Senior Games.
I’ve shot high school swim meets and pro swim meets, where the natatorium is always full of tension as the swimmers look at the timeboard and either grimace or sigh in exhausted relief. With the seniors? People were just having fun, and even the two men boasting a decades-old rivalry had great camaraderie.
© 2011 by The York Daily Record/Sunday News. (Left to right) Tim Grumbacher, 71 of York Township, shakes hands with Jon Edmonds, 70 of Springettsbury Township, after defeating him in their 100-yard freestyle heat in the York County Senior Games swim meet on Friday, June 24, 2011, at Central York High School. Grumbacher and Edmonds said they have competed against each other since they both participated in the 1980 Oxford Triathlon.
I should add that a few of these seniors could easily outswim me. I can only hope that when I’m their age, I too can still get in the water and swim a few laps.
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