LAKE CITY - 90-year-old Lake City resident Joel Lockwood is breaking records and capturing gold medals in numerous swimming events across the country. Lockwood recently competed in the Senior Olympics, capturing five gold medals setting three state records for the 90-94 age group. Lockwood also holds records in the 80-84 and 85-89 age groups. Those five medals don’t compare to the 143 medals he has hanging in his home, or the more than 100 ribbons he has from competitions around the world.
Lockwood was drafted into the army in 1957, where he was eventually sent to Colorado for advanced infantry.
“I was getting ready for the 5th Army Championships in Fort Carter, Missouri, went to that in Missouri, there. I did well there. I broke the 400 and the 1500-meter Fifth Army record. And so, they made me stay another week for All Army. That’s when they came with the Olympian and the high college people. I placed third in All Army in the 1500 meter,” said Lockwood.
He then took 55 years off from swimming, spending time with his family and working, until 2012 when his love for swimming was reignited.
“Reggie Ray, she was in her mid 80s, and she swam for Masters, and she heard that I used to swim way back. So, she told me, you got to get back into swimming,” said Lockwood.
Since then the medals have come in bunches, and Joel’s next goal is to compete in the 2025 Senior Nationals in Des Moines, Iowa.