'Not a Problem': Quogue Couple and Friend Defy Age Expectations at Track and Field Events

“Being older is not a problem.”

That’s a mantra that Joy Flynn, 75, and her husband, Dan Flynn, 76, have embraced. The Quogue residents have been married for half a century, and over the last several years, they’ve defied the expectations of what aging is supposed to be about. Instead of devoting their time exclusively to gentler, more passive pursuits, they can often be found at the outdoor track and field complex at Westhampton Beach High School, honing their skills in the long jump, high jump and other events.

Recently, they’ve had company.

The Flynns have recruited another Quogue resident to join them, a longtime friend they believed was a perfect candidate to share in their competitive track and field pursuits — and she might be the best of their small bunch.

At the urging of Dan Flynn, 92-year-old Hala Lawrence competed in her first track and field event, the New Jersey Senior Olympics, on September 10. Lawrence came home with two gold medals, recording a distance of 1.40 meters in the long jump, and 2.82 meters in the triple jump. Technically speaking, Lawrence did not have competition at the New Jersey meet, since she was the only woman entered in the 90-to-94-year-old age group. However, Dan Flynn was quick to point out that the distances she achieved in those events indicate she has the kind of talent it takes to end up on the top of the podium on an international stage. Last July, at the World Masters Championships in Finland, the winners in Lawrence’s age group recorded distances of 1.14 meters in the long jump and 2.56 meters in the triple jump, according to Flynn.

By participating in the New Jersey meet, the Flynns and Lawrence have all qualified for the National Senior Games, which will be held next July in Pittsburgh. Another target for the trio will be the World Masters Championships, which will be held in Sweden in 2024.

Dan and Joy Flynn joked that it took a bit of convincing to get Lawrence out to her first track meet.

“They’ve been after me for a long time,” Lawrence said, with a laugh. But since giving it a shot, Lawrence said she is now hooked.

Dan Flynn said he had taken notice of Lawrence’s uncommon athleticism and figured she’d do well in the track and field competitions. Lawrence was a devotee of modern dance for many years decades ago, and was part of a touring company during the time she lived in Detroit, Michigan. She credits her years of dance for keeping her strong, especially in her core. She still regularly rides her bike to the Quogue Library and Quogue Post Office on sunny days, plays golf, and does Pilates. She has been active her whole life, she said, enjoying skiing, hiking and tennis when she was younger.

When asked what her three adult children, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren thought of her latest athletic endeavor, Lawrence laughed and said, “They’re not surprised.”

The Flynns say they enjoy that Lawrence still has a competitive spirit, something they saw come out after that first track meet.

“She’s a competitive lady,” Joy Flynn said. “After that meet, the first thing she was saying was, ‘So when are we training? What am I supposed to do to get better?’”

The rush of competition is something all three of them enjoy. Like Lawrence, Joy Flynn was convinced to start competing by her husband, and she said that there are several reasons why she enjoys it.

“It gives you a sense of confidence, and that was kind of fun,” she said. “I guess I’m fairly competitive, too, but I never really thought I was. It makes me achieve better, and it makes me strive, and I love the fact that we’re role models on some level.”

For his part, Dan Flynn enjoys the “Olympic feel” that the National Senior Games — which he and his wife have competed in in prior years — has, and also enjoys getting to see senior athletes from other parts of the country competing in a variety of sports, proving that age is just a number. He’s also excited to see how Lawrence will fare at Nationals next summer, saying he believes it will be her “national coming out party.”

Between now and then, the Flynns and Lawrence will do their best to stay in shape — the Flynns do Crossfit three days a week — and continue their regular practice sessions at the long jump and triple jump sand pit at Westhampton Beach High School.

Dan Flynn is motivated to improve his fitness level even further, he said, after falling short against two German men in his age group at the world championships last time around. He said he’s “deliriously happy” every time he sets a new personal record, and his enthusiasm for the sport and for competing has been contagious. When he pointed out that, at some point, Lawrence would meet fellow competitors, if not at nationals then on the international level, she responded, simply: “I can’t wait.”