Gary Schuett jumping hurdles at Huntsman Senior World Championships, St George Utah
Submitted photo

Gabe Stark
The Trenton Telegraph

Gary Schuett of Trenton recently made his mark at the Huntsman Senior World Championships in St. George, Utah, held on October 6th. The annual event drew 12,000 athletes from 36 countries, competing in 30 different sports, and Schuett stood out in the 80 meter hurdles for competitors aged 80-84.

Gary, who has a long-standing history with track and field, placed second in his event, running a personal best of 20.54 seconds.

“I ran the hurdles in high school and in the 80s, I ran at the Joe Shy relays in Chillicothe,” Schuett said. “After that, I started running the hurdles and sprints at age 71 at the Missouri State Show Me Games in Columbia. I ran again at 75, then 80, and 81. During this time, I never had any competition in the hurdles so I looked at the possibility of a national or international competition.”

His search led him to the Huntsman Senior World Championships, where he not only found worthy competition but also broke a meet record last year in the 80-84 age group. This year, he returned with a goal to improve his time and succeeded by nearly four seconds.

Race conditions were favorable, with sunny and pleasant weather, a stark contrast to last year’s 107-degree heat index. However, anticipation mounted as the 80-84 year old hurdlers were the last event of the day. Gary main rival, a Californian who frequently travels for competitions, edged him out by just three-quarters of a second in a close race.

Grateful for support from his hometown,“ Schett said. “I appreciate all the encouragement from people in Trenton. I am truly blessed to be able to compete. My advice is that you stay active whether it be work or play. Wear out, don’t rust out. And a good diet helps even if you cheat from time to time.”

Gary dedication to the sport he loves serves as an inspiration, proving that you’re never too old to pursue athletic achievement.