Golden Athletes

06/23/16

After hearing about all the medals that Robert Walker has won in Senior Olympics events over the years, we decided to look for other inspiring older adults who continue to compete in athletics well into their golden years.

It turns out there are numerous senior athletic competitions across the US, and tens of thousands of participants every year. Texas has their own annual Senior Games in San Antonio and the National Senior Games takes place every two years at a rotating locale. (The next one will be held in June 2017, so start training folks!) Participants in the National Senior Games must be 50 years or older, and the events are divided into age groups with five-year intervals. Past games have included 20 different events, including Archery, Badminton, Bowling, Cycling, Golf, Horseshoes, Pickleball, Race Walk, Racquetball, Road Race, Shuffleboard, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Track and Field, Triathlon, Basketball, Softball, and Volleyball.

 

You don’t have to participate in Senior Olympics to stay active as you age. Check out this video of 100-year-old Ida Keeling:

 

Photo and Video credit: New York Times