August 15, 2008
State of Ohio Senior Olympic Games
State of Ohio Senior Olympic Games Venue
By John Dichiaro
August 2, 2008 - 2008 is a qualifying year for the Senior Olympic Games, one in which each state determines its senior champions in age groups from 50-54 on up in multiples of 5 years in a variety of sporting events . Those finishing in first, second or third place, qualify for the National Senior Olympic Games to be played in San Francisco in August 2009. Ohio held their 2008 Senior Olympics in the Dayton Ohio Area using the spacious Nutter Center's Main Arena for table tennis, a venue used by Wright State University for their basketball games.
The 60-player table tennis field was divided into round-robin, split round-robin or double elimination groups, depending on the number of entries for each age group. Round robin groups were held for 4 or 5 entries, split RR's for 6, and double elimination for 9 or more entries. Events were scheduled for men's and women's in the 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80-84, 85-89 and 90-94 age groups. Singles, Doubles and Mixed Doubles were held for each age group for which there were entrants. It was a one day and lots of play event with the older groups starting off in the morning. Play was held on 15 Butterfly Tables using Butterfly Barriers and Balls. The Ohio Sr. Olympics thanks Butterfly for sponsoring the balls used in the tournament.
 Sam Nusinow, Winner of 70-74 Men's Singles |  John Murray, age 92 |
Ohio's oldest competitor was John Murray, who at 92, stays spry and fit with a daily regimen of Tennis and Table Tennis at a local community college. However, as the only entry in the 90-94's and thus easily securing his first place medal, he practiced with the youngsters in the 85-89's after their matches. Terry Williams, was allotted the same faith as the oldest women's player and sole representative in the 80-84 group. Most groups though, were well represented with competitors. The largest groups were in the 50-54's, 65-59's and 70-74's mens, which contained 9 or 10 players each and were run as a double elimination. John Monaco (50-54), Bud Henthorn (65-69), and Sam Nusinow(70-74) won their respective groups without a loss.
 Dichiaro/Nusinow Winners Doubles 70-74, Dichiaro about to Serve | ||
 John Murray wearing a Gold Medal |  Sherri Bernhoft, 2nd Place in 65-69 Womens | |
RESULTS |
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| Mens | |||
| Age Group | First | Second | Third |
| 50-54 | John Monaco | Chung Hong | George Moses II |
| 55-59 | Larry Hawkins | Charles Peterson | Mark Slavick |
| 60-64 | David Cook | Jimmy Taylor | |
| 65-69 | Bud Henthorn | Billie Herren | Jack Scott |
| 70-74 | Sam Nusinow | John Dichiaro | Al Fish |
| 75-79 | Neil Myers | Mark Shapiro | Sid Stansel |
| 80-84 | Joe Jenkins | Ron Parsons | Vernon Weingart |
| 85-89 | Robert Henry | Hershel Self | |
| 90-94 | John Murray | ||
| Womens | |||
| Age Group | First | Second | Third |
| 60-64 | Linda Clay | Dee Cook | |
| 65-69 | JoAnne Tressler | Sherri Bernhoft | Sharon Moening |
| 70-74 | Anne Fish | Jan Stansel | Waltraud Putz |
| 80-84 | Terry Williams | ||
| Mens Doubles | |||
| Age Group | First | Second | Third |
| 50-54 | Hong/Monaco | Arcaro/Wolff | Moler/Moses |
| 55-59 | Hawkins/Peterson | ||
| 60-64 | Cook/Lawrence | ||
| 65-69 | Herren/Scott | Maas/Moyer | |
| 70-74 | Dichiaro/Nusinow | Downs/Stansel | Beggin/Myers |
| 75-79 | Dorner/Mapes | ||
| 80-84 | Jenkins/Thaxton | Krumins/Weingart | |
| 85-89 | Henry/Self | ||
| Women's Doubles | |||
| Age Group | First | Second | Third |
| 60-64 | Clay/Williams | Cook/Moening | |
| 65-69 | Bernhoft/Tressler | ||
| 70-74 | Fish/Putz | ||
| Mixed Doubles | |||
| Age Group | First | Second | Third |
| 60-64 | Taylor J./Tressler | Cook/Cook | Beggin/Clay |
| 65-69 | Bernhoft/Takas | Lawrence/Moening | |
| 70-74 | Fish/Fish | Gross/Gross | Stansel/Stansel |
| 80-84 | Henry/Williams | ||
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