EVENT PREVIEW
Look Out For These Locals
Leading up to being a host of the Games
in his own backyard, William Otto, of
Coral Springs, set new records in the
85-89 age group that had stood for 20
years, at the 2018 Florida Senior Games
in Clearwater. His time of 9:35 in the
5K topped the previous record by 38
seconds and 18:44 in the 10K was 1:33
faster than the previous mark. Both of
the previous records were set by Brian
McGrath, of St. Petersburg, in 1999.
He followed it up in the summer of 2019,
competing for the seventh time, in the
cycling time trials — 5K and 10K — at the
2019 National Senior Games and came
away with two bronze medals.
Besides winning a pair of bronze medals,
he was one of 11 athletes of the 13,000
athletes competing to be selected as a
Humana 2019 Athlete Game Changer,
an award that recognizes someone who
exemplifies healthy aging and provides
encouragement, motivation and
inspiration for all seniors.
“I was professionally photographed and
those photos ended up on CNN Health
News with the other seniors,” he said of
being a Game Changer in an article after
the Games in the South Florida Sun-
Sentinel.
Hollywood’s Brian Hankerson is
registered for 10 events in the Track
and Field competition, four running
events and six field events. He will also
be honored as the 2018 Florida Senior
Games Male Athlete of the Year.
A look back at some of his Florida Senior
Games performances shows it is a welldeserved
honor.
He holds five age group records in the
50-54 and 55-59 age groups (two long
jump, two triple jump and one high
jump) and has been a sprints gold
medalist in previous years as well.
At the 2019 National Senior Games,
competing in the 60-64 age group, he
turned in top performances in the high
jump, long jump and triple jump. He
won the long jump gold medal with a
leap more than 1.5 feet than the silver
medalist and over two feet more than his
closest competition in the triple jump.
He holds the top NSG performances in
the long jump in the 50-54, 55-59 and
60-64 age groups.
Returning to the Florida Senior Games
in Race Walk competition, for the first
time since 2016, is Martha Ann Harsh.
A resident of Fort Lauderdale, she has
been a race walker in the National Senior
Games since 2013.
She had a fourth- and fifth-place finish
in the 2019 National Senior Games 5K
Race Walk and 1500 meter, respectively.
At the 2015 National Senior Games,
in Minneapolis, Minn., she won gold
medals in both events in the 60-64 age
group.
In her last Florida Senior Games
appearance, in 2016, she won a gold
medal in the 5K Race Walk.
Look for Martha Ann motoring on
the road and around the track in the
2019 Florida Senior Games Race Walk
competition.
As local hosts for the Greater Fort
Lauderdale area, Otto, Hankerson and
Harsh will be happy to provide some
local spots for any post-competition rest
and relaxation.
For those of you who may have ventured
to Fort Lauderdale for Spring Break,
the Elbo Room is still open, in the same
location, on Fort Lauderdale Beach.
2019 FLORIDA SENIOR GAMES PRESENTED BY HUMANA | OFFICIAL PROGRAM 9
Two athletes from Greater Fort
Lauderdale will be host athletes for
this year’s Florida Senior Games. TOP:
William Otto of Coral Springs set new
records in the 85-89 age group in the
2018 games. ABOVE: Brian Hankerson
of Hollywood holds five records in the
50-54 and 55-59 age groups.
Florida Senior Games Host Communities (1992-2019)
1992-94 ...................................................................................................................................................................Bradenton
1995-96 ...........................................................................................................................................Kissimmee/St. Cloud
1997-98 ........................................................................................................................................................................Sarasota
1999-2000 .....................................................................................................................................Kissimmee/St. Cloud
2001-02 ................................................................................................................................................................Polk County
2003-05 ...............................................................................................................................................................The Villages
2006-10 ..................................................................................................................................................................Lee County
2011-12 ...................................................................................................................................................................Polk County
2015-18..............................................................................................................................Clearwater/Pinellas County
2019-20 ....................................................................................................................................Greater Fort Lauderdale