Athletes Gather For State Senior Games
The Seniors are coming.
The Seniors are coming.
The Seniors are here for the Washington State Senior Games which is happening mostly at the Spokane Community College, beginning today and continuing through Sunday.
More than 350 athletes will compete in 22 events, with many of the 50-and-over crowd competing in more than one sport. The event is the only sanctioned qualifying event for the 2001 National Senior Games in Baton Rouge, La. Competitors are here from several states, as well as Canada. Depending on the sport, the top two and three finishers will qualify for Nationals.
Track and field competition was held last weekend at SCC, and the horseshoe throw will wrap up the Games on Aug. 18. Tennis is the only sport that begins today.
The rest of the weekend looks like this: Friday - tennis, volleyball, badminton, pickleball, golf at Indian Canyon Golf Course, racquetball at Central Park Racquet Club, shuffleboard at Holman Gardens Retirement Apartments and bowling at Silver Lanes.
Saturday - tennis, table tennis, basketball, pickleball, racquetball, shuffleboard, bowling, softball at Franklin Park and lawn bowling at Mission Park.
Sunday - cycling, swimming, triathlon, trap shooting at Spokane Gun Club, 5K and 10K runs at Joe Albi Stadium and archery at Evergreen Archery Club.
International Ironman champion Sister Madonna Buder of Spokane will speak at Saturday’s dinner-dance and silent auction.
Boxing
Heavyweights dominate the upcoming pro fight card at the Coeur d’Alene Casino.
The 10-round main event pits King Ipitan (19-1-1) against Zuri Lawrence (14-7-3). Lawrence won a unanimous decision over Mike Sedillo in April at the Casino. Ipitan is undefeated in his last seven bouts.
The card, scheduled for Aug. 24, also features Boise middleweight Cleveland Corder, whose opponent hasn’t been determined, and Spokane welterweight Dewey Welliver, who is 5-0.
Other bouts: Michael Lucero vs. Steve Valdez; David Defiagbon vs. Augustin Corpus; Davarryl Williamson vs. Alrick Lassiter; Keith Govan vs. Todd Diggs; Heather McVey vs. TBA.
Scott joins Broncos
The Denver Broncos traded an undisclosed draft choice to acquire former University of Idaho wide receiver Robert Scott from the Green Bay Packers.
Scott, who transferred to Utah State for his senior season in 1998, was released by the Buffalo Bills last September.
Kerns goes pro
Former Coeur d’Alene and Lake City High basketball star Jennifer Kerns has signed to play for Boldklubben Skjold, a professional team in Denmark.
Kerns recently ended an injury-plagued career at Washington State University.
Lewis departs
Guard Anthony Lewis has left Idaho’s men’s basketball program.
Lewis, who plans on getting married, averaged 11 minutes per game and 1.8 points last season.
UI breaking ground
Idaho will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for its East End addition Friday, Sept. 8, at 2:30 p.m. at the Northeast corner of the Kibbie Dome.
An open house will follow. Info: (208) 885-6662.
Gambill set to play
After two weeks of rest, Spokane tennis standout Jan-Michael Gambill said Wednesday he plans to play in next week’s ATP Legg Mason Classic at Washington D.C.
Gambill, tied for 29th in points in the ATP Champions race, has not played since retiring in the finals of the Mercedes-Benz Cup on Aug. 30 in Los Angeles. He pulled out because of a left knee and right ankle injury.
The Mead High graduate also had planned on playing in this week’s $2.95 million Tennis Masters Series-Cincinnati, but decided to stay home in Colbert.
His U.S. Open hardcourt tune-up schedule also includes the Hamlet Cup Aug. 21-27 in Commack, N.Y.
Gambill said his ankle, which he sprained in the Mercedes-Benz Cup final against Michael Chang, still is not 100 percent. However, he’s more concerned about his knee, injured earlier in the tournament. The injury has been diagnosed as patella tendinitis, an inflammation of the patella ligament.
“I’m hitting this afternoon (Wednesday) for the first time,” Gambill said. “I’ve been working hard at physical therapy.”