World Senior Games open Monday at Utah Tech; Hall of Famers, opening ceremony speaker named – St George News

ST. GEORGE — The Huntsman World Senior Games return to Southern Utah next week, with events getting underway Monday and running through Oct. 15.

As the annual event nears, organizers have announced the inductees to the World Senior Games Hall of Fame and the featured speaker at the opening ceremonies, which will be at Greater Zion Stadium at 7 p.m. Monday.

According to a news release from the World Senior Games, the Hall of Fame “recognizes extraordinary men and women who exemplify the vision of the Games to foster world-wide peace, health and friendship.”

“We are so proud to be associated with people like this year’s inductees,” CEO Kyle M Case said in the news release. “Each one of them is an example of what the Games are all about. They make active aging their lifestyle and we offer our congratulations to each one.”

The 2022 Huntsman World Senior Games Hall of Fame inductees include:

Jim & Yvonne Hackenberg

Jim and Yvonne Hackenberg are arguably the winningest husband-wife pickleball duo to date. As a 12-year participant in the Huntsman World Senior Games, Yvonne has won 26 gold medals in Pickleball. She earned nine of those medals in mixed doubles, (eight with her husband Jim) and 17 women’s gold medals with her partner. Jim has been playing Pickleball in The Games for 11 years. During his time as a competitor, he has won 23 gold medals. He has also given back to the sport and The Games many times by participating as a referee for the sport.

Irina Hellwig

Hellwig has been passionate about sports medicine and table tennis all of her life. Her Blue Badge Umpire status allows her to participate in various table tennis tournaments around the globe. She has been participating in The Huntsman World Senior Games for 25 years as both a competitor and an umpire.

Dick Johnson

Johnson is one of the most medaled players in the history of Pickleball. He has won 15 medals, including many golds, at The Huntsman World Senior Games for the past seven straight years. Additionally, he has earned 230 medals in 116 other sanctioned tournaments in 17 different states.

Ronald D. Jones

Jones started participating in the Huntsman World Senior Games in 1997. He has competed in bridge, track and field, softball, mountain biking and most recently in trail running. He has won well over 50 medals in these various sports.

Maria Cristina ‘Kica’ LaJusticia

Born in São Paulo, Brazil, Kica has always enjoyed playing sports. At the age of 35, after a break from the sport, Kica continued her volleyball journey in the Brazilian Masters Program. Through this program, LaJusticia and many of her friends competed in Brazil and abroad. She has been participating in the Huntsman World Senior Games Global Cup since 2007 as both a player and a manager of the Brazilian team. Under her management, her Brazilian team took home a gold medal in 2011.

Fred Tamagawa

This year, Tamagawa is celebrating his 30th year with the Huntsman World Senior Games. He has spent his life playing all kinds of sports. Tamagawa has been heavily involved with senior softball, starting a senior league in Salt Lake City. In 1997 he was inducted into the Utah Softball Hall of Fame.

Alice Tym

Tym had been inducted into multiple Halls of Fame as both a player and a coach. This year will be her 14^th year competing in the Huntsman World Senior Games. She has excelled at tennis, badminton, table tennis and pickleball, winning many medals in all of them at the Games.

The honorees will be inducted into the Huntsman World Senior Games Hall of Fame on Wednesday in a special ceremony.

The Opening Ceremonies will be staged Monday evening at Greater Zion Stadium on the campus of Utah Tech University. The parade of athletes will kick things off at 7 p.m., and the event will include an address from bobsled Olympic silver medalist Bill Shuffenhauer. A fireworks display will conclude the ceremony.

Admission is free, and organizers encourage families to enjoy a night of entertainment and inspiration, the news release said. A pre-ceremonies BBQ Bash will be free to the first 1,000 people to attend.

Schuffenhauer was raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. In 1992 he won the junior nationals while a student at Weber State University. He was a member of the 4-man bobsled team at the Salt Lake City Olympic Games. He and his teammates would go on to win the silver medal.

Click here to view a complete schedule of events.

Click here to access the Huntsman World Senior Games homepage.