Clovis athlete sharp in Senior Olympics

Clovis’ Don Cheek won two gold medals and a silver in track and field, and the Fresno Sharpshooters basketball team placed second in the 60-and-over division at the National Senior Games at Stanford.

Cheek, 79, won the 200- (32.25) and 400-meter (1:16.83) races, and placed second in the 100 (15.71).

In basketball, Fresno’s roster included Jack Sanders, Harold Kelly and Rhine Preaus of Sanger, and Bob Rath of Fresno.

The Sharpshooters lost 37-28 in the title game to the California Gold after playing 10 games, including wins over teams from New York, Connecticut, Texas, Ohio, Alabama and Delaware.

Basketball teams qualify by placing first or second in state tournaments. The Senior Games have 18 sports and are every two years. They move to Houston in 2011.