26 February 28 • 2019
jn

New Age Group, Same 
Success for Weightlifter

W

eightlifter Jeff Ellis moved 
into a new age group for 
competitions this year. but 
he’
s still collecting medals and breaking 
records.
Ellis, who will turn 60 on May 
1, won his 16th Michigan Senior 
Olympics gold medal in 18 years — 
to go along with one silver medal 
and one bronze medal — earlier this 
month when he took first place in the 
age 60-64 198-pound division in the 
Winter Games at the Strength Depot 
in Plymouth.
The West Bloomfield resident broke 
the division record of 253.5 pounds 
on his first bench press, lifting 255 
pounds. Then he broke his own record 
on his second bench press, lifting 265 
pounds.
His third and final bench press, at 
270 pounds, didn’
t happen because 
Ellis re-injured his shoulder while he 
was starting the lift.
“I had an inflamed rotator cuff that 
prevented me from training for three 
weeks,
” Ellis said. “I began training 
again only a week before the Senior 
Olympics. I took off about a week and 
half after the Senior Olympics and I’
m 
feeling better now. I’
ve resumed my 
regular workouts.
”
While his last bench press at the 
Senior Olympics was disappointing, 
Ellis achieved his goals of winning a 
gold medal and breaking the division 
record.
Ellis won a gold medal at a national 
competition last year, taking first place 
in the age 55-59 198-pound division 
with a 275-pound bench press at 
the American Amateur Powerlifting 
Federation nationals in Grand Rapids.
It was a particularly satisfying 
achievement for Ellis because he had 
qualified for the 2016 and 2017 AAPF 
nationals, only to miss both because of 
an injury.
He’
s qualified for the 2019 AAPF 
nationals April 12-14 in Myrtle Beach, 
S.C., but he won’
t go. Not because of 
his latest injury, but because the com-
petition is being held during the final 
weekend of income tax season and 
Ellis is a certified public accountant.
Income tax season doesn’
t put a halt 
to Ellis’
 regular workouts.
“My workouts are always a priority, 

especially during income tax season,
” 
he said. “I want to keep training and 
competing.
”
His next weightlifting competition 
is the Michigan Senior Olympics 
Summer Games in August.

POKER ON PURIM
B’
nai B’
rith Great Lakes Region and the 
Temple Israel Brotherhood are teaming 
up once again for a fundraising Texas 
Hold’
Em poker tournament during 
Purim.
The appropriately named Shusan 
Hold’
Em tournament will be held 
Sunday, March 10, at Temple Israel, 
with proceeds benefiting both spon-
soring organizations.
B’
nai B’
rith’
s share of the tourna-
ment proceeds will benefit the Great 
Lakes Region’
s scholarship fund and 
pay for expenses for the International 
Jewish Men’
s Slo-Pitch softball tourna-
ment that the Pisgah Zeiger Sports & 
Entertainment Lodge is hosting over 
Labor Day weekend.
Cost for an advance buy-in for the 
poker tournament is $50. It’
s $60 at the 
door and a re-buy is $25. An optional 
deli dinner is $10. Deadline is Monday, 
March 4, to purchase dinner.
For information, contact Rick 
Sherline from B’
nai B’
rith at (248) 613-
5400 or rsherline@divbenefits.com or 
Steve Achtman from Temple Israel at 
(248) 505-3939 or sssbrm@ameritech.
net. ■

Send news to stevestein502004@yahoo.com.

sports

STEVE STEIN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Jeff Ellis shows off his latest Michigan Senior 

Olympics gold medal.

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