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When you choose a
cardiologist, you’re also
choosing a hospital.
When you place your heart health in the
hands of Marc Brodsky, M.D., at the new
Ministrelli Heart Center, you have more
than a highly qualified physician.
You have all the resources
of Beaumont Health standing
behind him.
Weightlifter Jeff Ellis says he’s pain-free after
having to take three months off because of
shoulder problems.
Swimmer Jim Berk has qualified
for the 2017 National Senior
Games in three events.
Senior Stars
Steve Stein | Contributing Writer
Ministrelli Heart Center
T
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248-788-HART
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140 September 29 • 2016
wo of the state’s top senior ath-
letes have added to their medal
collection.
Weightlifter Jeff Ellis, 57, of West
Bloomfield won a Michigan Senior
Olympics gold medal in the age 55-59
198-pound division last month with a
300-pound bench press.
Swimmer Jim Berk, 62, of West
Bloomfield won a gold medal in the
200-yard breaststroke and silver med-
als in the 50 and 100 breaststroke in the
age 60-64 division, also at the Michigan
Senior Olympics.
The weightlifting competition was
held at the Rochester Athletic Club and
swimming events were held at Oakland
University.
It was the first competition for Ellis
since he was sidelined for three months
because of what he called multiple issues
with his right shoulder.
Physical therapy and a steroid injec-
tion allowed Ellis to begin working out
again in March, and it took him three
months to return to form.
For a short time, it appeared Ellis’
competitive weightlifting days could be
over.
“When I first saw my doctor in
December, he suggested I have an
MRI and told me I might need shoul-
der replacement surgery,” he said.
“Thankfully, that didn’t happen and my
goal was to compete again.
“I feel I’m 100 percent now. I’m doing
all my workouts. I lift weights twice a
week, and I’ve missed only once since
March because my elbow was bothering
me. I’m back!”
Ellis qualified to compete in the
American Powerlifting Federation
national competition in May in Chicago,
but he had to drop out because he was
still recovering from his injuries. He
hopes to qualify for the 2017 nationals
and compete there for the first time.
The colon cancer survivor and certi-
fied public accountant holds Michigan
Senior Olympics and APF bench press
state records for his age group with lifts
of 320 and 286 pounds, respectively.
He set the Michigan Senior Olympics
state record in 2014 and the APF state
record last year.
Ellis has won 11 gold medals, one
silver medal and one bronze medal in
Michigan Senior Olympics weightlifting
since he began competing in 2009.
Berk won a silver medal in the 100
breaststroke at the 2015 National Senior
Games in Minneapolis, Minn. His time
was 1:22.02. He also competed in the 50
breaststroke at nationals and finished
sixth (:37.21).
He’s qualified to compete in the 50,
100 and 200 breaststroke in the 2017
National Senior Games in June in
Birmingham, Ala., thanks to his victory
in the 200 (3:10.61) and silver medals
in the 50 (:37.59) and 100 (1:23.89) last
month at the Michigan Senior Olympics.
“I don’t know if I’ll compete in all
three events at nationals. It depends on
my schedule and when the events will be
held,” said Berk, a personal trainer and
exercise teacher.
He feels his best shot at success at the
nationals will be in the longer races.
“I’m shorter than most of my competi-
tors, which puts me at a disadvantage in
the 50,” said Berk, who is 5-foot-5.
Berk is happy he qualified for nation-
als in the 200. He didn’t try to qualify
for the 2015 National Senior Games in
that event at the 2014 Michigan Senior
Olympics, and he thinks he would have
had a great shot at winning the gold
medal in Minneapolis.
He won the 50 and 100 at the 2014
Michigan Senior Olympics.
*
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