Cyclist Frank Moak of Brookhaven hopes to be standing on the awards podium at least once this week. A gold medal would be great but silver and bronze are acceptable, too, as he competes in the Senior Olympics in Cleveland, Ohio.

     Moak, 53, will be entered in the 50-54 age group. He races Wednesday in the 10K time trial. There will be a 5K Thursday. On tap Saturday and Sunday are circuit races. The 40K will feature a 5-mile course and the 20K will be held in downtown Cleveland.

     “I’m concentrating on the 10K,” Moak admitted. “I’ve been comparing my times to other regionals and they are right at or close to the best. My times were only three seconds off the one that won in Houston.”

     Moak qualified in all four events at the Mississippi Senior Olympics last summer in Clinton. “I won all of them. Up there (Cleveland) it will definitely be different.”

     Founder of the locally based Herring Gas racing team, Moak will wear the team colors in the Olympics. He and fellow biker Butch Sims of Hattiesburg leave Sunday. Sims will be entered in the 60-64 division.

     Moak first obtained his racing license in 1981. In 1985, he won an offseason Olympic Trial event at the Sports Festival in Baton Rouge.

     In recent 2-man time trial in New Orleans, Moak joined  with 44-year-old Herring Gas teammate Woody Beaudreaux and placed second. They finished 20 seconds behind a pair of 25-year-old racers. “Our combined age was 97 years, so that’s pretty darn good.”

     Moak will be competing against 38 racers from across the nation in the 10K time trial. Riders average 28.5 miles per hour on a board-flat course. Hills and wind are a major factor in some races.  Moak said he hopes to reach 30-mph.

     The time trial bike is different from the road racing bikes. They have a solid disk for a rear wheel. Riders wear a v-shape helmet and shoe covers to help streamline the body. “Titanium bolts are lighter than steel bolts,” said Moak. “The lighter the bike, the better the advantage. I’ll do everything I can to cheat the wind.”

     Moak firmly believes he can bring back some medals to Brookhaven.