By Joel van der Veen
July 19, 2010

IMPERIAL - A 74-year-old man from Imperial will compete in a national seniors sports tournament in Ontario after picking up five medals at the Provincial 55+ Games in Regina earlier this month.

Joseph Koza and his wife, Marilyn, will travel to Brockville, Ont., next month, where Joseph will take part in the Canada 55+ Games competition, running from Aug. 24 to 28.

This will be his third time competing in the games, having travelled to past events in Portage La Prairie, Man., and Moncton, N.B.

The event includes a wide range of sports and games, such as golf, cribbage, curling, bowling, swimming, hockey, bridge, Scrabble, archery and horseshoes. Koza, who turns 75 in December, will compete in the track and field division.

He won in several track and field events at the provincial games in Regina, held from July 6 to 8. More than 500 competitors took part.

For his efforts in the long jump (4.27 metres), the triple jump (8.61 m) and the 200-m dash (roughly 30 seconds), Koza received three gold medals.

He also received a silver medal for his performance as part of a relay team; he and his teammates, three men from Regina, finished a 4x100-m relay in about a minute's time. Finally, he received a bronze medal for his 26-m discus throw.

Koza said he enjoyed attending the games and witnessing the "camaraderie" there. Although it's a competitive event, he said, the athletes and participants support each other.

"You get to meet all these people," he said. "It's a good time."

Koza said he enjoyed the banquet served at the event. He had his photograph taken with both former Saskatchewan Roughrider George Reed, the event's honourary chairperson, and Ashleigh Clark, Miss Saskatchewan for 2010.

Eight districts compete in the provincial games, organized by the Saskatchewan Senior Fitness Association. The Prairie Central District sent 60 participants, including Koza, to the games in Regina. Medal winners are eligible to compete in the national games in Brockville.

Meanwhile, Gordon and Diane Taylor of Davidson also took home a medal from Regina. They were awarded silver in the contract bridge competition after a two-day tournament. They were also eligible to join the nationals, but passed on the invitation as they expect to be busy with the harvest in August.

The Taylors declined to have their picture taken for this story, but Gordon said they enjoyed the games and appreciated them as a means of encouraging seniors to keep active and moving.

The leaderonline is a division of The Davidson Leader, Davidson, Saskatchewan, Canada.