Shell, Childress win silver medal at Senior Olympics

ST. LOUIS -- Sikeston's Lee Shell and Joe Childress recently teamed up to win a silver medal at the 2002 St. Louis Senior Olympics.

The event was held at the St. Louis Jewish Community Center over Memorial Day weekend, and featured 1,500 athletes competing in 60 different events.

Shell and Childress took second in the 55-59 year-old division of men's tennis doubles. The two took bronze last year in the same bracket.

"We did a little better this year," said Shell. "Next year, we feel there will be more men from Sikeston going up there to compete in tennis. We would like to get (the Senior Olympics) a little more well known and try to get more athletes from this part of the state up there."

Shell also went on to win a silver medal in tennis singles, placing second in the 65-69 division. Last year Shell won a silver playing singles in the 60-64 bracket.

It was the 22nd year of the Senior Olympics. To qualify, participants must be at least 50.

"We watched one lady play that was 84," said Shell. "She had to play down in age bracket, because there was nobody else there her age for her to play. She played a lady that was 68, and it went three sets."