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Let the Games Begin!
From now until June 17, Gesling Stadium will be the location for hotly contested events that are part of the games' track and field competition. Practices began on June 7 and preliminary heats and final races will continue through Friday, June 17.
First held in St. Louis, Mo., in 1987, the National Senior Games is a biennial event dedicated to motivating active adults to lead a healthy lifestyle. Today, the games are the largest multi-sport event in the world for seniors.
The university is providing room, board and parking for some out-of-town participants.
The first day of full track and field competition will be Wednesday, June 8, with the 100-meter and 400-meter preliminary races for men and women ages 65-100+. The remainder of the week will feature competitions in discus, long jump, pole vault and high jump as well as the 200-meter, 800-meter and 1,500-meter race finals. Athletes 50-64 will compete June 13-17 in the same categories. The events are covered by sports media from around the U.S., including Sports Illustrated and the Associated Press. (A complete schedule of events is listed below.)
Each athlete at the Senior Games earned their spot by winning a gold or silver medal at their 2004 State Games. Athletes come from all 50 states and at least half have college degrees. Men and women compete equally in the games, but game organizers say participation can be even more meaningful for female athletes, for whom competitive sports weren't as accessible in their youth as they were for men.
The average age of this year's competitors is 65, but Sam Pate holds the record for the oldest athlete to participate in the games. The 103-year-old Texan will go for the gold in bowling this year.
All athletic competitions at the games are free and open to the public. For a complete schedule of events, visit http://www.2005seniorgames.org/home.jsp
All events are free and open to the public. For more information, visit http://www.2005seniorgames.org/competition.jsp.
Susie Cribbs |
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Carnegie Mellon Home |
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More than 1,200 Senior Olympians will battle for track and field gold at Carnegie Mellon in the coming weeks, as the university joins many other Pittsburgh venues as a host for the National Senior Games.
