By:Andrew Grant
Lynbrook residents Richie Renz, Mike Kelly and Matt Giordano will compete in the 2004 Games in Greco-Roman wrestling. It is the first time in the history of Lynbrook that three wrestlers qualified for the Empire State Games in the same year. "It's a wonderful thing that three of us from the same town made it," Renz said.
Renz, a father of two, has further reason to be proud this year, because as the junior varsity wrestling coach at Lynbrook High School, he has mentored and coached his peer qualifiers, Kelly and Giordano.
Kelly, 20, is a four-time qualifier for the Empire State Games and already has two silver medals. In 2000, he was Lynbrook's first high school wrestler to win a medal. The son of Lynbrook village trustee Kevin Kelly, Mike graduated from Lynbrook High School in 2001.
Giordano, 17, is one of the top wrestlers in Nassau County after putting up a 27-3 record last season. He earned a place in the high school division of the Games by placing second in the qualifiers.
Renz will compete in the games for the fifteenth time -- a Nassau County record -- after dominating at the 275-pound weight class qualifier held at Bay Shore High School earlier this year. He has already won five medals, two of them gold, and is currently ranked first in New York State at 213 pounds in Greco-Roman wrestling. Renz said that at first he was not sure if he would compete this year, but decided to go for it because it is an Olympic year. "My personal goal is to win another gold," Renz said. "I want to go out and wrestle the best I can wrestle, and have fun doing it."
At 37 years old, Renz will be the oldest competitor on the Long Island team and will wrestle opponents between 19 and 21 years old. "It feels good that I can still compete," he said. He also noted that he jogs over 30 miles a week and powerlifts twice a week. Additionally, Renz graduated from Lynbrook High School in 1985 and has wrestled in over 250 matches.
The Empire State Games will be held at Binghamton University from July 28 to August 1.
Lynbrook's three competitors have trained hard all year and are optimistic about bringing some medals back home. Renz added: "We want to go up there, be a part of it, and make Lynbrook proud."
