Saltsman competes for health and laughs Shirley Saltsman of Delphi, proudly wears the medals she earned in the 2004 and 2005 Area IV Agency Senior Games. On Monday, the first day of competition, she won gold medals in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash, and earned a bronze in the one-mile fast walk. Comet photo by Dee Dellenbach Last year, 69-year-old Shirley Saltsman competed in the 100meter dash at the senior games. She was the oldest competitor in the group - and she won. This year at 70, she has gone one better: she's earned two gold medals, one apiece for the 100meter dash and the 200-meter dash.

This week marks the 20th anniversary for the Area IV Agency Senior Games. Senior adults in eight counties will be competing in games ranging from track and tennis to bingo and euchre.

Saltsman, who lives in Delphi, has won six medals since she started competing in 2003. She said she first entered the games because she thought they would be fun and give her an opportunity to compete.

"I love to run," she said. "I'd like someone to start a granny basketball team."

She said sometimes when she is out exercising, she starts to laugh.

"I think the laughing does more good than the running," she quipped.

To prepare for the games, Saltsman walks one and a half miles every day and runs the 100-meter three times. This year, in addition to the 100-meter and 200-meter dash, she thinks she might compete in miniature golf, bowling and the softball throw: Saltsman doesn't like to have too much 'down' time.

This year she said she had hoped to get a gold medal in the 100-meter dash and thought she had a good chance in the onemile fast walk. She wanted to catch the woman who beat her last year, she said. But as it turned out, she won the bronze.

Saltsman said she is motivated and inspired by the people she competes against, but she's also been an inspiration to her three grandkids, Matthew, Adam and Kristin.

"They got interested in sports after Grandma got involved in the senior games. They saw those three medals," she laughed.

The focus of the senior games is to give participants the opportunity to compete and win medals while staying active, having fun and enjoying the company of other participants. But for Saltsman the games represent an opportunity to push herself.

"I just want to see if I can do it!" she enthused.

The games are being held at Jefferson High School in Lafayette and will continue throughout the week.

"I think every senior should think about (participating). It keeps you in better health. You meet a lot of nice people to talk with. I played golf with a lady last year and we talked about Tiger Woods; that's when the trouble started! We had a good time."

To learn more about the games, visit www.areaivagency. org.