JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two local women are reflecting on their experiences competing in the National Senior Games that were held in Iowa.
Janell Thomas, 57, and Joni Neidigh, 66, are both back at home after showcasing their talents in Des Moines at the recent National Senior Games.
Recommended Videos
Thomas took home gold as a powerlifter and grabbed the top spot through deadlifts, bench press and squats.
“Gratitude, humility, because it was not just me going to Iowa. It was my family, my friends, my gym family, my Cecil family, as they were behind me. I was standing on their shoulders,” she said.
A week earlier, Neidigh competed in the 5K and 10K road races as a distance runner, coming in the top 15 in each race, among nearly 50 runners in each field.
“I need to keep doing this and I am proud of myself for putting in all the work, but I have a lot more work to do. I definitely want the top eight next time,” Neidigh said.
Thomas is thrilled to represent Florida with the highest honor in her sport.
She now has her sights set on qualifying for the World Senior Games.
“Every area of the competition, I was always telling myself you are a winner. You have this. Nobody’s going to beat me and that was my mindset,” Thomas said. “It is a part of health. As we get older, we definitely lose muscle mass and lose muscle and bone mass.”
For Neidigh, she was one of 10 people being honored with a Humana Game Changer Award.
That is a nationally recognized honor that celebrates senior athletes who Humana considers to exemplify healthy aging and inspire others to stay active.
Neidigh not only wants to compete in the National Senior Games again in two years, but wants to try her hand at track and competitive swimming while inspiring others.
“I am always raising the bar. I do not want to put limits on myself,” she said. “Get with a group of like-minded people. There will always be somebody starting out just like you and everybody starts by just putting one foot in front of the other and enjoy the journey of it.”
These two stellar athletes are enjoying their journeys and have no plans of slowing down.
