PITTSBURGH — Port Angeles’ Gerald Rettela was a double honoree earlier this month at the 2023 National Senior Games.
The 88-year old Rettela proved his mettle in racquetball, earning a silver medal in Men’s Doubles and a bronze in Men’s Singles in the 85-to-89 age bracket.
Rettela also was recognized for his commitment to a healthy lifestyle, the Games and community service — one of just five individuals selected for the honor out of 10,097 senior athletes and 300 racquetball players by Games’ sponsor Humana.
“It was quite an honor to be chosen and it came as a complete surprise when they contacted me prior to the games,” Rettela said.
A Korean War veteran and president of the Korean War Veterans Association’s Olympic Peninsula chapter, Rettela worked with state legislators to see portions of state Routes 112 and 113 formally dedicated as the Korean War Veterans Blue Star Memorial Highway.
He also was part of efforts to dedicate the Tumwater Truck Route, otherwise known as state Highway 117, as the POW/MIA Memorial Highway.
The 2023 National Senior Games awarded medals in 19 events: archery, badminton, basketball, bowling, cornhole, cycling 5-kilometer, 10K, 20K, 40K, golf, pickleball, power walk 1500-meters, 5K, racquetball, road Race 5K and 10K, shuffle board, swimming, table tennis, tennis, track and field, triathlon, triathlon relay and volleyball.
Fifty states were represented as well as eight countries: Barbados, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Germany, Mexico, Trinidad & Tobago and the US Virgin Islands.
There were 140 representatives from Washington.
Port Angeles’ Gerald Rettala was one of five National Senior Games participants out of more than 10,000 to receive an award from sponsor Humana for his commitment to a healthy lifestyle, the games and his community service. Rettala, age 88, won bronze in the racquetball men’s singles and silver in doubles play in the 85-89 age group at the games.
Gerald Rettala, age 88 of Port Angeles (center), won bronze in racquetball men’s singles and silver in men’s doubles in the 85-89 age group at the National Senior Games in Pittsburgh. He is joined by singles silver medalist Charles Herrera, left, and gold medalist Eugene Bailey.
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