Colonie patrolman Louis DiNuzzo knows that one of the most important factors of being on duty is staying in shape.
“Physical fitness could really save someone’s life,” the Colonie native said.
As a runner for most of his life, including being on the track team at both Shaker High School and his alma mater Colgate University, DiNuzzo likes to squeeze his shoes into any running competition he can.
All his time training, target practicing and generally staying shape paid off this month when DiNuzzo won the gold medal in the men’s individual biathlon at the World Police and Fire Games 2013 in Belfast, Northern Ireland, which was held Thursday, Aug. 1, through Saturday, Aug. 10.
Promoters say the event is the third-largest international multi-sport event in the world, and the biennial tournament features Olympic-styled competitions for serving and retired police, fire, prison and border security officers. What started in 1985 as a national competition branched into the international realm when it ventured into Vancouver in 1989. Since then, the competition has been held in seven countries, including Sweden, Spain and Australia.
This year, Northern Ireland hosted, and housed nearly 15,000 competitors from 67 countries for 56 sports. DiNuzzo was the only officer representing Colonie.
For the biathlon, DiNuzzo had to do a series of events against roughly 70 other competitors: run one mile, stop to pick up a gun and shoot 12 rounds at a target, run another mile, shoot another 12 rounds and run one more mile. Yet DiNuzzo, who had been training for the competition since May, said he came upon an unexpected turn during the course – running on a sandy beach.
“A lot of people, including me, didn’t know it was part of the course,” DiNuzzo said, adding that he has never run on a beach before. “It was soft sand … but I felt it worked to my advantage being a smaller, lighter guy. I had quicker turnover … it helped me out in my run.”
That small advantage helped him complete his biathlon in just over 20 minutes and secure first place.
This wasn’t the first time DiNuzzo took home a high score at the World Police and Fire Games. Two years ago, DiNuzzo and his longtime friend Colonie Patrolman Todd Weiss participated in the 2011 competition in New York City. The two competed in the team biathlon with 30 other pairs and earned the silver medal.
Weiss, who has been with the Colonie Police Department for the past 13 years, didn’t join DiNuzzo at this year’s competition, but said he plans on training for the 2015 event in Fairfax, Va. He said he couldn’t be happier for DiNuzzo’s accomplishments.
“I think it’s unbelievable. He works hard, it’s something that he deserves,” Weiss said.
Colonie police Lt. John Archambault has supervised DiNuzzo the past three years, and described DiNuzzo as a “self-initiative, self-starter, go-getter kind of guy.”
“I don’t think we could have had a better person represent the quality of people that come out of this police department and the way they act and what they are capable of doing,” Archambault said. “I think Lou is probably one of our frontrunners on all of those points.”
For his first time overseas, DiNuzzo said Ireland was so green it looked like “spray painted lawn” and the people were incredibly friendly. While the competition helped him meet officers from all over the world, he said meeting the Irish officers showed him a very “different world” that’s been shaped by years of conflict.
“Their police stations look like military stations with high walls and fences. They certainly have to watch their back a little more than the police here,” DiNuzzo said.
Now back in the states, DiNuzzo continues to run anywhere from three to 10 miles a day, almost every day. While he plans to attend the next World Police and Fire Games, now DiNuzzo is training for several upcoming local races, including the Turkey Trot and the Hudson Mohawk River Marathon. As he continues to train and race, DiNuzzo said he hopes to qualify for the Boston Marathon next year.
“Running is a lot about camaraderie … a lot of good sportsmanship … it’s like a gentleman’s sport,” DiNuzzo said. “I like to compete, I like to win. If I don’t win, it makes me train harder.”