LAS VEGAS - Michael Paquette continues to wrestle competitively for one simple reason.

"Because I can," he said, flashing a smile.

Stepping onto the mat and still being competitive is an impressive feat when you're in your mid-50s.

Paquette would know. The 53-year-old from Albany, N.Y., captured a Veterans National championship in Greco-Roman wrestling on Wednesday night at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Nearly a quarter-century after placing fifth at the 1984 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Greco-Roman wrestling, Paquette is still going strong on the mat.

Paquette swept Sukhvir Chahal of California 3-0, 7-0 in his first match in the Veterans D Class at 97 kg/214 lbs. before winning by injury default over Leonard Simon of California.

Paquette placed second at the 2007 Veterans Nationals in Greco-Roman before winning the title in freestyle. He will try to win his second straight Veterans National freestyle title later this week.

Paquette retired at age 29, but decided to come back six years later. He placed second in an event in New York and then took seven years off before returning to the mat again at age 42.

He's been competing ever since. He said he is not sure how long he will continue.

"Wrestling is just one of those things in life I don't want to stop doing," Paquette said. "It's still fun. If it wasn't fun, I wouldn't do it anymore."

Paquette has been fortunate to stay healthy. His opponent in the finals was not quite as fortunate.

"He tried an arm spin and got behind me about 40 seconds into the match," Paquette said. "But once he got behind me, he started yelling in pain. He pulled a groin muscle."

Paquette's involvement in wrestling started because of his struggles in another winter sport.

"In ninth grade, it was either sit on the end of the bench in basketball or be a starter in wrestling," he said with a laugh. "I'm glad it turned out the way it did."

Paquette attended the same high school in Albany - Colonie Central - as two-time women's freestyle World champion Kristie Marano.

"I used to wrestle with Kristie's dad," Paquette said. "I think a lot of Kristie, as a person and a wrestler."

Paquette stays involved coaching young wrestlers in New York. He said he has coached a group of girls from New York the past five years at the Junior/Cadet Nationals in Fargo, N.D.

He said wrestlers who compete in the Veterans class in Las Vegas share a respect for one another.

"We really do have a good camaraderie among the wrestlers," he said. "We all talk and we get along real well. We're friends, no matter what happens on the mat."

2008 champions who repeated from 2007 included Ben McCrillis, Rodney Fisher, Tyrone Abercrombie, Steve Horton and Kenneth Peters.

VETERANS GRECO-ROMAN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP RESULTS

Division A - 63 KG - 138.5 lbs Results
1st Place - Rusty Marchello of Nevada

Division A - 69 KG - 152 lbs Results
1st Place - Jason French of California
2nd Place - Talel Khal of Oregon

Division A - 97 KG - 214 lbs Results
1st Place - Ben McCrillis of Massachusetts
2nd Place - Jason Blakeman of California
3rd Place - Matthieu Burkett-erice of Hawaii

Division A - 130 KG - 286.5 lbs Results
1st Place - Lee Gilford of Washington

Division B - 58 KG - 127.75 lbs Results
1st Place - Joe Dansby of California
2nd Place - Michael Tuck of Missouri

Division B - 63 KG - 138.5 lbs Results
1st Place - Chad Shilson of Minnesota
2nd Place - Cliff Conte of California

Division B - 69 KG - 152 lbs Results
1st Place - Richard Weissinger of Arizona
2nd Place - Tige Thompson of Florida
3rd Place - Rudy Dizon of California
4th Place - DJ Hollingsworth of Nevada

Division B - 76 KG - 167.5 lbs Results
1st Place - Willy Knight of Ohio
2nd Place - Gino Frank of Pennsylvania
3rd Place - Gustavo Anaya of Washington
4th Place - Woody Ojeda of Texas

Division B - 85 KG - 187.25 lbs Results
1st Place - Rodney Fisher of West Virginia
2nd Place - Richard Jensen of Oregon
3rd Place - Matt Branson of California
4th Place - Eric Mancini of Massachusetts

Division B - 97 KG - 214 lbs Results
1st Place - Antoni Walters of New York
2nd Place - Ramon Diaz of California
3rd Place - Stevan Mladenovic of Ohio
4th Place - Bryan Lindsey of Nevada

Division B - 130 KG - 286.5 lbs Results
1st Place - Tyrone Abercrombie of Arizona
2nd Place - David Eubanks of Pennsylvania
3rd Place - Patrick Hayhurst of California

Division C - 63 KG - 138.5 lbs Results
1st Place - Rob Porter of Illinois
2nd Place - Cliff Johnson of Washington
3rd Place - Charles Elliott of California
4th Place - Frank Gercak of Kentucky

Division C - 69 KG - 152 lbs Results
1st Place - Steve Horton of Texas
2nd Place - Anibal Nieves of Massachusetts
3rd Place - Jesse Ortega of California

Division C - 76 KG - 167.5 lbs Results
1st Place - Michael Robinson of Pennsylvania
2nd Place - Jim Gioiosa of Arizona
3rd Place - Kevin Pine of Nevada
4th Place - Jeff Mustari of Florida

Division C - 85 KG - 187.25 lbs Results
1st Place - Anthony Porcelli of Iowa
2nd Place - Greg Pettit of California
3rd Place - Jeff Anderson of Illinois
4th Place - Mt Ayers of Washington

Division C - 97 KG - 214 lbs Results
1st Place - Dan Chaid of California
2nd Place - Steven Goss of Michigan
3rd Place - Tom Piccolotti of California
4th Place - Ronald Ayers of Nevada

Division C - 130 KG - 286.5 lbs Results
1st Place - James Phills of California
2nd Place - Timothy Stepleton of Iowa
3rd Place - Jim Hall of New York
4th Place - Tom Handrick of Wisconsin

Division D - 63 KG - 138.5 lbs Results
1st Place - Joseph Coletta of Illinois

Division D - 69 KG - 152 lbs Results
1st Place - Dave Sauer of Colorado
2nd Place - Michael Betts of Minnesota

Division D - 76 KG - 167.5 lbs Results
1st Place - Kirby Keith of Oklahoma
2nd Place - Chris Brown of Maryland
3rd Place - Mark Black of California
4th Place - Robbert Wijtman of California

Division D - 85 KG - 187.25 Results
1st Place - Gregg Stensgard of Utah
2nd Place - Stephen Contarino of Florida
3rd Place - Robert Forster of California

Division D - 97 KG - 214 lbs Results
1st Place - Michael Paquette of New York
2nd Place - Sukhvir Chahal of California
3rd Place - Leonard Simon of California

Division D - 130 KG - 286.5 lbs Results
1st Place - Mchael Cain of Florida
2nd Place - Randy Rueppel of Washington

Division E - 58 KG - 127.75 lbs Results
1st Place - Clifford Ray of Arizona
2nd Place - Melvin Cooper of New York

Division E - 63 KG - 138.5 lbs Results
1st Place - Steve Barkman of New Jersey
2nd Place - George Bancroft Iii of Florida
3rd Place - Loren Rabnick of Ohio
4th Place - James Schartner of Maryland

Division E - 69 KG - 152 lbs Results
1st Place - Merl Lensing of Minnesota
2nd Place - John Hughes of Arizona
3rd Place - Vahik Ghazarian of California
4th Place - Mansour Honarvar of California

Division E - 76 KG - 167.5 lbs Results
1st Place - Kenneth Peters of Illinois
2nd Place - Gershon Horowitz of California

Division E - 97 KG - 214 lbs Results
1st Place - William Kalivas of California
2nd Place - Donald Apodaca of California
3rd Place - Joseph Reasbeck of Wisconsin

Division E - 130 KG - 286.5 lbs Results
1st Place - Gerald Ponce of California
2nd Place - Ray Lotfi of Texas