Denver Smith, 82, is one of a handful of gents over 80 still doing the decathlon. He’s been mentioned in the press before. But his local paper in Ohio finally focused on him last month in the run-up to a local Senior Olympics. Check out this article. I like where he doesn’t apologize for track’s attraction: “You are not backed up and helped out by another 10 or 12 people, team-type group. My goal has been to try to beat the other person individually.”

Here’s the story, in case the link doesn’t live on:

He’s active and stays fit — and he’s 82 years old
BY DENISE SAUTTERS
REPOSITORY STAFF WRITER
LOUISVILLE — Up in the morning and s-t-r-e-t-c-h.
That is how Denver Smith starts his day. The 82-year-old probably has more track and field gold medals and awards than most his age. Don’t ask him about them, though, because winning isn’t what is important to him.
“As long as you are upright and mobile, you want to keep going,” he said. “I’ve always tried to be active, athletic and stay in good shape.”
Smith graduated from Fairmont State College, where he earned four letters in football and two in track. He taught history, geography and science for 27 years at Louisville High School. He also coached the boys track team for five years and won four Stark County championships.
SENIOR ATHLETE
He is a multiple National Masters track and field champion in the decathlon and holds multiple national championships in the pole vault, pentathlon, high jump and triple jump. He has won the International Decathlon Championship multiple times in his age group and continues to compete today in the masters program and the Tri-County Senior Olympics.
“Track and field to me is one of the oldest and still one of the best, because it is person-to-person,” Smith said. “You are not backed up and helped out by another 10 or 12 people, team-type group. My goal has been to try to beat the other person individually. I’ve had world records, American records and age-group records, but I don’t dwell on those. I don’t splash them around.”
The Senior Olympics are a challenge for him, he said, noting that he tries to work out, including doing stretching exercises, every day, but he doesn’t do the same thing every day. Some days he runs, while others he jumps and throws.
“After 50, people start to fall apart at the seams. Maybe they should start working out. Keep stretching. That is the key word.”
Reach Repository writer Denise Sautters at (330) 580-8321 or e-mail :denise.sautters@cantonrep.com
TRI-COUNTY SENIOR OLYMPICS
Anyone 50 and older who wants to participate in the Tri-County Senior Olympics can sign up for events today through May 24. Registration fee is $15 for two sports. Additional sports are $10 each.
Forms and fees should be sent to Tri-County Senior Olympics Institute for Life-Span Development-Gerontology, Arts and Science Building 340, University of Akron, Akron OH 44325-4307.
Registration must be postmarked two weeks before your first event. The late fee is $25. Call (330) 972-7243 for information. Parking is free in the lots immediately east and south of the Ocasek Natatorium and the new Field House. Rain delays or scheduling will be decided by 8 a.m. on site and generally will be scheduled for the following day.

Here’s Denver with his discus (and a few medals):