WEATHERSFIELD TWP. Officer wins 5 medals in Cleveland

This was the first year the officer participated in weightlifting events.
By SHERRI L. SHAULIS
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
MINERAL RIDGE -- Rick Mahan participated in the Ohio Police and Fire Games for four years without ever winning a medal.
This year, he more than made up for it.
Mahan, a four-year veteran of the Weathersfield Township police department, brought home two gold medals, two silver medals and one bronze medal from this year's event, which took place June 13-18 in Cleveland.
The 25-year-old Mahan participated in five events, and took home a medal in every one. He won gold in the dead lift and push-pull categories in weightlifting, silver in the singles and doubles categories of golf and a bronze medal for the bench press category in weightlifting.
"I had participated in the golfing events before, after my dad got me interested in it, but I got into weightlifting on my own last year, and decided to do that this year, too," Mahan said.
Mahan said his father, retired Niles police Capt. Rick Mahan, got him interested in golfing several years ago for fun, and the two decided to participate in the annual Police and Fire Games together. The first year, Mahan was working as a dispatcher and corrections officer with the Niles Police Department.
More than 30 events
The six-day competition consists of more than 30 individual events. The annual games, which started in 1977, feature events ranging from arm wrestling and bowling to shooting and canine searches.
Mahan was the only member of the Weathersfield Township force to compete this year, though the games are open to firefighters and police officers, as well as their spouses.
"There were people from all over Ohio, a couple from Virginia and even one guy from Canada this year," Mahan said.
The games -- which were exclusive to police officers until firefighters were invited in 2000 -- do not pit firefighters directly against police officers; instead, categories are divided by age, sex and weight.
Mahan lives in Niles with his wife, Nanci, and 1-year-old daughter, Katelynn.
slshaulis@vindy.com