71-year-old wins six gold medals

Al Treichel of Spring Hill dominates the competition ... four months after cancer surgery.

By GREG AUMAN

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 12, 2000

Spring Hill's Al Treichel has dominated his age division at state track events before, but it meant a little more Sunday.

Treichel, 71, won six gold medals at the Sunshine State Games in Gainesville just four months after undergoing surgery for colon cancer.

"I was very lucky," Treichel said of his speedy recovery. "I think that being in good shape helps a lot. It made such a difference."

Treichel, who also won his age group at last week's Midnight Run 10K in Dunedin, competed in the 100, 200, 400, 800, 1,500 and 3,000 meters, winning all six events. The Timber Pines resident has come a long way since his surgery March 13, but his recovery actually started before the operation.

"I knew about the surgery a month beforehand, so I was reading about what to eat and what kinds of things are best to do before you go in," Treichel said. "My wife asked me if I was training for a marathon or for surgery, but they're actually very similar."

The operation was successful, and Treichel will not have to undergo any chemotherapy treatments. His rehabilitation, as expected, went well ahead of schedule. The day after surgery, he was walking the hospital halls with his wife, Maureen, and within weeks, he was chipping golf balls and wheeling about on Rollerblades.

"I had promised my wife I wouldn't run for six weeks because the doctors had told me that," he said. "But after four or five weeks, it was hard not to."

Treichel's commitment to running served as inspiration for Richard Lowery, 69, who traveled with Treichel to the Senior Olympics in Orlando last year to cheer him on.

"He saw the men and women throwing the javelin, and he said, "Hey, I used to do that in high school. I bet I can still do that,"' Treichel said. "He was pretty happy with the way he did Sunday."

Lowery finished first in the 65-69 age division in the long jump (9 feet, 111/4 inches) and second in the high jump (4-4), discus (99-4) and javelin (85-7).

Another county athlete who fared well was Kelly Jagger, 18, of Hernando Beach, who participated in the twirling competition in Ocala. Jagger finished first in the novice and beginner 15-21 divisions in the fancy strut competition, first in the beginners 15-21 division in the solo and second in the intermediate 15-21 division in the basic strut.

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