Scotch Plains Woman takes home Gold in Senior Olympics

One of Scotch Plains' own, Linda Liebiedz, participated in last weekends New Jersey Senior Olympics, where she took home three gold medals and one bronze.

This was Liebiedz's third time competing in the Senior Olympics, in the past she has won nine medals, not including this years.

Liebiedz, originally from New Providence, got involved in the events through a few friends from college.

When she was in High School there were no team sports, but she was very involved in intramural sports and played college softball for Montclair State.

Liebiedz won gold in horseshoes, mixed double pickleball, and foul shooting basketball. She received her bronze medal in basketball accuracy shooting. She is still waiting on the results from the dart competition.

The Senior Olympics are broken into five different age groups and then most events are seperated by sex. Linda noted that there was a larger turn out of men at the Olympics.

Although Liebiedz took home the Gold in pickle ball, Friday was the first time she played the game. Her partner, who she had never met until the games, called her up desperately seeking a partner for the event. She told him sure, but noted she had never played before. The two wound up never taking a loss.

Liebiedz has been retired for the past two years from her career as a Physical Education teacher. However, she has not stopped working. Linda serves as an adjunct at Kean University advising the physical education teaching students.

In addition to her job at Kean, she officiates volleyball and swimming.

Liebiedz noted the Senior Olympics are very well organized and it's nice that so many volunteers in the area come out to help make the events run smoothly.

She urges anyone over 50 to participate. She wishes more people from Scotch Plains and Fanwood would get involved.

A friend of Liebiedz always says, "You don't stop playing because you get old, you get old because you stop playing."

Lebiedz believes that to be true and noted that all the events at the Senior Olympics are not too strenuous, giving everyone the opportunity to participate.

All of those who placed in the N.J. Senior Olympics move onto the United States Senior Olympics (officially the National Senior Games) in Cleveland, Ohio in 2013.

From what she has heard from friends who took part in the U.S. Senior Olympics, it is almost like being at the actual Olympics.

Lebiedz noted she has only ever been to the Cleveland airport and thinks the Senior Olympics will be a fun time. 

Are there any other SP-F residents who participated? Comment below!