Bridges wins gold at Mo. Senior Olympics

Jim Bridges and his wife, Jan, in the weight room in their basement. Contributed photo

MARY LOU MONTGOMERY

During a typical morning, 74-year-old Jim Bridges may cycle down around the caves and back home, before getting on his Harley and riding to Maywood for breakfast.

Always active, always in competition. He used to participate in biathlons and triathlons, but these days he’s more focused on weightlifting sports, including bench press and arm curls.

“I got into power lifting when I was in my early 50’s,” Jim said. “Mr. (Barry) Zbornik was my coach. He helped me with bench and squats. How much I admire Mr. Z. He is a bundle of knowledge.”

With a gym set up in the basement of his long-time home on Rendlen Avenue, Jim works out regularly.

In May, he participated in the Missouri Senior Olympics at St. Louis, in powerlifting. He bench-pressed 315 pounds and curled 140 pounds, winning a gold medal in arm curls.

“We did the curls first, 140 pounds on the curls. On the bench I got 315 pounds. The 315 is almost a national record, it could have been broken. I’m going to do it again next year when I’m 75, and go for the national record.”

Age groups are divided into five-year increments: 50-54; 55-59; 60-64; 65-69; 70-74; 75-79, etc.

In this year’s competition, he was among the oldest in his age division; next year, he will be among the youngest, an advantage he hopes to maximize in his favor.

The competition took place in May at the St. Louis Jewish Health Center.

“One of the main reasons I work out and cycle, is that I have to keep my heart strong,” he said, “that motivates me.”

He is a heart attack survivor, and it took him awhile to get back into the game.

Always an athlete

Jim went into the service after high school. He was stationed at Plattsburgh, N.Y., where he was playing football. Howard Siler, his football coach, asked him if he would try out for the Air Force bobsled team.

“In 1971 we won all the major championships, the Europeans came over for the Kennedy International Games and we beat them. We qualified for the Olympic team.”

He rode the 4-man U.S. sled at the 1972 Sapporo Winter Olympics. 

“My brother, John, was All State in basketball. He was my inspiration, you couldn’t ask for a better role model.”

Jim got out of the service in 1976. He met his wife, Jan, in Pekin, Ill., when he was working as an iron worker at Local 112. “We met at ‘the Barn’ where Christian kids go,” he said. 

“Two months later, we got married.

“She is a sweetheart, she has always been that way, always moving. I love her to death, she’s my soulmate, I’m a lucky guy.”

From Pekin, he transferred to Local 577 at Hannibal, “working iron for awhile.” He taught welding at the vocational school for two years, and got hired as a welder for the Cement Plant in 1992.

He and Jan have three grown children.

“Our son, Jimmy, lives next to us and works as an X-ray tech. Our daughters, Missy, works in St. Louis out of Local 25, putting in gas lines and meters, and Lara works for Preferred Family Healthcare.”

Jim and Jan have six grandchildren.

“I’m retired from the cement plant, and enjoying every day,” he said.

“I have a mess of trophies,” Jim Bridges said. Shown are some of his mementoes from his life-long pursuit of athleticism. Contributed photo