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More than 1,000 senior citizens are heading to Henrico to compete in the final four days of the Virginia Senior Games, hosted by the Virginia Recreation and Park Society. Celebrating its 40th year, the Virginia Senior Games aims to promote healthy lifestyles for Virginia residents and to provide something to compete in for those 50-years-old and older.
This year, 1,302 athletes from 22 states hitting coast to coast will be competing in more than 18 games such as archery, shuffleboard, swimming, and track and field. Events were picked to include non-athletic as well as athletic to accommodate all skill levels and to provide an atmosphere of fun while keeping a competitive field.
“It’s inspiring,” says Heather Clement, the events coordinator for the Henrico County Parks and Recreation. "It's unbelievable what they do. It makes you have a positive outlook on the future, to know that we have so many people who are in their eighties and nineties still competing, and still able to do things that they were doing when they're forty. It's just a really neat experience to watch them perform."
Among the athletes are 98-year-old Ruth Thompson from Dinwiddie County competition in Shuffleboard and Swimming, making her the oldest athlete competing in the games. There are four athletes in their 90’s and 95 athletes in their 80’s. Barbara Warren from Charleston, WV is competing in 18 swimming and track/field events, becoming the only athlete registered for the most events.
Clement finds that having something for everyone is what attracts athletes to compete.
“Regardless of their skill level or level of competition, we have something that pretty much everyone 50 years old and older would be able to play in. We get a lot of seniors who tell us, 'I took up swimming just this year so I could participate,' just because they wanted something active to do. So it gives them resource to be able to compete in something that's not just like a recreation sort of league, but a little bit more advanced level, but also something where they might have a chance to win a medal, too."
The Virginia Senior Games are the qualifying games for the 2019 National Senior Games held in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Those competing and their guests will be treated to an annual Athlete’s Party and Wellness Fair.
Athletes and visitors can expect rain during the week and it is recommended that those participating or visiting check in with the Virginia Recreation and Park Society hotline at (804) 730-9447 to confirm that specific games are still on schedule or have been postponed due to weather. A schedule of all events can be found on the VRPS website.
