It took 60 days, 31 different sport activities, over 250 events, 11 different age groups and 82 competitors to complete the senior games this year.
Activities included contests in archery, badminton, basketball, cycling, golf, horseshoes, mini golf, pickleball, shot put, discus, swimming, tennis and more.
Events were held at Allens Creek Park, Carpet Mini-Golf, IP Sports Complex, Lake Junaluska Nanci Weldon Gym, and Lake Junaluska, Maggie Valley Country Club, Maggie Valley Townhall and Waynesville Recreation Center.
Haywood County, Charlotte and Wilmington were the original three participants in the games that began back in 1983.
Today, there are 50 local games serving all 100 counties in the state. These three communities helped form the model that counties throughout North Carolina now use for their games.
An artistic and creative competition began in 1986 to offer seniors with an artsy bent to join in and have their expressions judged. Called the SilverArts, it’s an expression of the creativeness of North Carolina’s seniors. Categories included were literary arts, heritage arts, visual arts, performing arts and cheerleading.
“Everybody that comes out has a great time, glad to just be together,” said Ian Smith, assistant director of Haywood County Recreation and Parks. “A lot of the sports are unique in the fact that they are not available all the time. People don’t have easy access to play, like bocce and horseshoes. We have people that have their events, they love doing it. We have people coming out and commenting they haven’t done this since the last time they did it years ago.”
Athletes put up some notable results.
Michael Ramsey (age group 50-54) put up a time of 20:33 in the 10K cycling event. Michael then came back to double in the 10K run to score first place with a time of 47.58.
Dan Linker (70-74) earned first place honors in the discus with a heave of 98’1”. Dan doubled up in the shot put with a throw of 36’10”.
Roni Decker (65-69) placed first in the women’s discus with a throw of 33’4”.
Jack Quinn (70-74) shot a 77 at Maggie Valley Golf club to nab first place. Gerald Stanton (70-74) also shot a 77 to tie for first place.
Deborah Wiley (65-69) took home first in women’s cornhole.
Ronald Clauser (85-89) nabbed a win in bocce.
Out at the Carpet Mini Golf competition at Maggie Valley, Loretta Lahr (70-74) won with a score of 48.
William Raab (75-79) did his Michael Phelps imitation with wins in the 110 yard backstroke, the 100 yard breaststroke, the 100 yard medley, the 50 yard backstroke, and the 50 yard breaststroke.
And special mention to the oldest competitor, Charles Matlack (90-94), who took home honors in the cornhole competition.
SilverArts winners in heritage arts were Ruth Elson, Sandra Bell, George Kenney and Annette Husson. In literary arts, winners were John Ryder and Katherine Crain.
In visual arts, winners wee Ruth Elson and Beverly Stone.
Smith says everyone should participate in next year’s games.
“Everybody 50 and older can compete. A lot of people think they cannot participate. It’s a really fun atmosphere,” Smith said. “We have a lot of people that want to go to the state competition and even nationally. You don’t have to be a hotshot in anything; we have people doing events for the first time ever. It’s just a great community for people to get involved with, we have a lot of new participants this year and it seems every year we add new participants.”
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