Be Your Personal Best…FOR LIFE!
There’s another definition of “personal best” that anyone can achieve. It’s not about a peak time or distance in sports; it’s about overcoming obstacles, staying motivated throughout your life and inspiring others by your example. This results in greater longevity and a healthy, active lifestyle – and that is your Personal Best!
Click Here to learn more about the purpose of the Personal Best health and wellness initiative.
Use the search box to find athletes by name or year of feature.

A Three Generation Legacy

Dwight Smith, 94 Terry Smith, 74 Christi Smith Daigle, 51 Baton Rouge, Louisiana The theme for the 2023 National Senior Games presented by Humana is “Bridging Champions Through the Ages,” placing a spotlight on the intergenerational impact of Senior Games on families and society. The idea came from seeing so many children of senior athletes

Reversed Roles

Jody Smith, 61, Atlanta, Georgia Jody Smith should have been named Jody Sports. It’s been her passion for as long as she can remember, and basketball was her favorite pastime. She was a standout player in high school and college and has been inducted into her college hall of fame. Jody and her husband Mark

Making Space for Sports

Larry DeLucas, 72 Birmingham, Alabama There are many singular achievements that can be made in sports, but only Larry DeLucas can say he once slam dunked a basketball weightless more than 250 miles above Earth. That’s one of the interesting facts discovered when we followed up on the rumor that there was an astronaut playing

Jack Eckenrode’s Happy Trails

Jack Eckenrode, 94 Bulger, Pennsylvania   Some athletes inspire others with their ability. Others inspire just by their example. For cyclist Jack Eckenrode, it has taken 17 years of competing to win his first National Senior Games gold medals at the 2022 Games held this year in Fort Lauderdale. But Jack has a happy army

Being There

Lindsay Tise, 103 Winston-Salem, North Carolina It’s an achievement to live to a ripe old age. The real hope is to also have good health, a clear mind and an active lifestyle to go with it. It’s one thing to get there, but quite another thing to BE there. Lindsay Tise is “there.” At 103,

Irresistible Force

Alice Tym, 79, McDonald, Tennessee Alice Tym has been known by many people for different things. Tennis fans knew her as a rising star of the ‘60s, challenging other rising stars like Billie Jean King and ascending to a #13 world ranking in 1969. Teammates at the University of Florida knew her as the woman

Swimming’s Spiritual Warrior

Herman Kelly, 67, Baton Rouge, Louisiana You can talk about skill, physical ability and focus as key elements needed to be a successful athlete at any age. One also needs the intangible boost and motivation that comes from having a passion for your sport to see it through. Herman Kelly’s passion for swimming goes much

Courting History

Joyce Jones, 91, Seattle, Washington Joyce Jones has compiled an admirable athletic record by winning more than her share of championships in three racket sports over seven decades. She can’t even guess how many medals and tournaments she has won in badminton, tennis and pickleball, because her focus has been more on the pursuit of

Like Father, Like Family

Ray Tingstrom, 78, Colorado Springs, Colorado Mick Tingstrom, 54, Woodbridge, Virginia “It’s like a family” is a phrase commonly heard among Senior Games athletes to describe their feeling of connection with others pursuing the same goals to live active and healthy lives. There are real family ties when a son or daughter decides to follow

Living a New Chapter

Yvette Matthews, 67, Durham, North Carolina For most of her life Yvette Matthews enjoyed good health to the point that she didn’t know what feeling very sick was like. Genetics can contribute to such good fortune, but we suspect her regular involvement in a variety of sports since youth, including playing semi-pro volleyball as an

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