LOCAL SPORTS: Venice swimmer making his mark in competition at 75 years old

VENICE — One Venice native is defying his age, having won multiple medals at the Pan-American Masters Games in Cleveland, Ohio, last month.

Gerry Chojnowski, 75, took to the pool at Cleveland State University, winning a gold, a silver and two bronze medals during the competition.

Chojnowski won gold in the 200 long-course breaststroke event (5:00.10), the silver in the 100 long-course breaststroke event (2:17.26) and a pair of bronzes in the 400 long-course freestyle (8:35.09) and the 800 long-course freestyle (17:29.98) events.

“It was quite an experience going to the Pan-American Games,” Chojnowski said. “There was 27 sports and over 70 countries represented. Somebody told me that over 4,000 athletes were there in Cleveland to compete. It was neat to be able to go there and win a few medals.”

Having grown up in Ohio, it was extra special to Chojnowski to be able to perform so well and visit with friends and family all in the same trip.

“That was a great thing about going up to Cleveland for the Pan-American Games,” Chojnowski said. “My brother and sister still live up there, so I got to see them and all of my nieces and nephews along the way.”

GETTING BACK IN THE POOL

Chojnowski was an avid swimmer when he was a teenager, but he took a long hiatus away from the pool before jumpstarting his swimming career at the age of 60.

“I loved swimming as a teenager, but life and work got in the way,” Chojnowski said. “I got back into it around 15 years ago, just swimming laps. Eventually, I found out about the Masters program and started competing.

“A health scare in 2007 really made me focus on my health. I had a pulmonary embolism, so I figured I’d take up swimming again. I really enjoyed it, and I kept getting better and better at it, and that’s why I’m still doing it.”

Chojnowski trains three days a week at the local Venice YMCA. He’s one of the first people in the pool at 6 a.m.

Of course, improving his health isn’t the only perk of swimming for Chojnowski.

“We have a pretty big group of swimmers of all ages,” Chojnowski said. “The people involved on the team are all very nice. The camaraderie is really great and we have a great coach in David Back that pushes us. He’s very helpful and gives us a wide range of workouts.”

Chojnowski’s coming up on two decades in a row of getting in the pool, and even at his age, he has no plans of slowing down anytime soon.

“I hope to swim as long as I can,” Chojnowski said. “I see people over 90 years old still getting in the pool and doing this. That’s really inspiring to me, and it pushes me to keep going.

“I will say I thought swimming would get easier, and it seems to be only getting harder for me. But at this point, I’m just happy that I can get in, do the race and finish. Fortunately, my wife is a great support system for me, and I’ll go as long as I can.”