Lynbrook man goes for gold at Empire Games

This summer, many Long Islanders will not only be basking in the sun, but fighting for the Gold.

With the Empire State Games almost underway from July 21 through 25 in Buffalo, select residents from Lynbrook and East Rockaway — like Lynbrook’s Man of the Year Richard Renz — are not only making moves, but are making history.

“The games are just something I enjoy so much,” Renz said. “I love to compete. Also, I love the camaraderie — you get to meet people. It is a forum to showcase your talents.”

The Games, which started in August 1978, is an amateur and multi-sport competition for New York athletes. Each spring, more than 30,000 people tryout with hopes to qualify as finalists in the open, scholastic, or masters’ divisions at the Summer Games. For 43 year old Renz, who will compete for his nineteenth year, he still wants to be in the winner’s circle.

“I look forward to going out, winning medals, and doing my best,” he said. Renz, who coaches wrestling and other sports for about 20 years now, will compete in the heavyweight division of the Open Men’s Greco-Roman Wrestling. According to Renz, he beat a 215 pound wrestler to make this year’s summer team. And he believes in setting goals, which meeting those goals won a total of 7 medals - 2 gold, 4 silver, and 1 bronze- so far for Renz. He won his first silver medal in 1993, but winning his first gold medal in 1996 was particularly special for him because he was the only person from Long Island to win in the Greco Roman game that year.

“I become very self-disciplined in what I do,” he said. “I have learned development and good sportsmanship. With hard work, anything you do will yield results and you will be successful.”

In trying to be “disciplined,” Renz undergoes a rigorous training routine, which includes running about 12-15 miles a week and weightlifting at Gold’s Gym in Lynbrook.

“It is an amazing and wonderful competition,” he said. “This is the greatest type of competition there is because it is one on one. You have to hold your own or you are going to be beat. You learn to be focused and concentrate…there is no one out there to help you.”

Renz also noted that being apart of the competition is a huge motivator, but his son, Matthew Renz and daughter, Breanna Renz are his biggest supporters and motivators.

For more information about the games, visit empirestategames.org.

Other competitors from Lynbrook and East Rockaway listed on the website’s roster include Christopher Conroy - Rugby, Folnetti Alvarez -Soccer, Alisha Thompson - Track & Field, and Alyssa Parke - Ice Hockey. and Arielle Lippman - Weightlifting. The Herald will be running profiles in upcoming editions.

Comments about this story? CHamlin@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 246.