Gainesville Senior Games
Senior Athletes Go for the Gold
Each year, the Gainesville Sports Commission hosts the Gainesville Senior Games, giving opportunity for athletes aged 50 and up to compete for gold, silver or bronze medals. These events also provide Seniors with the chance to qualify for the State Senior Games.
This year, the 9th Annual Gainesville Senior Games were held October 23-25 at various locations in and around Gainesville. The event showcased 300 competitors and 100 spectators.
Alex Alston, the event coordinator for the Gainesville Senior Games, said those numbers are down from last year because athletes can only qualify for the National Games every other year."We are usually down 40 to 50 people when it's not a qualifying year," Alston said in a recent telephone interview. "We still had about 300, or a little bit over. Next year they can qualify for the nationals because nationals are held every odd year."
The Gainesville Senior Games are sanctioned by the Florida Sports Foundation, making it a local qualifier for the State Senior Games Championships. Every Olympic year, the Florida Senior Games State Championships serve as a qualifier for the National Senior Games, which are held every non-Olympic year.
This year, the Gainesville Senior Games included archery, basketball (three-on-three and individual shooting), bowling, cycling, golf, table tennis, track and field, swimming and tennis.
Because the University of Florida offers fine venues for the events, such as the pool in the Stephen C. O'Connell Center and the Percy Beard Track at the James Pressly Stadium, the Gainesville Senior Games draws Senior athletes from throughout the country.
"That's a good thing for Gainesville because we have a lot of track and field," Alston said. "We have people come from Ohio and Michigan. They come down and run on our track because it's a great facility."
The cycling event was held at the Gainesville Raceway, which provided plenty of room for the cyclists to compete.
"We had a lot of cyclists this year," he said. "We had about 45 cyclists, because the course is fast and safe. A big loop."
Athletes compete within their age groups, which are set up in five-year increments. In other words, athletes from 50 to 54 compete with one another. The next group is 55 to 60, and on up to the oldest competitors. The winners in each group get a gold medal. The top five in each group qualify for the state games, and next year the top competitors will also qualify for the national games.
The national events are huge, Alston said. Up to 15,000 athletes compete in this event that occurs every two years. This year the National Senior Games were held in August in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Not only do the games provide a good reason for people to stay in shape, they also provide an opportunity for like-minded people to get together.
"It's a great way to meet people," Alston said. "A lot of people compete in multiple Senior Games, from throughout the state. And they can do this year round."
Senior athletes who are interested in competing in next year's games are encouraged to keep their eyes on the Gainesville Senior Games Web site for the registration form for next year's events, Alston said.
The games got their start back in 2001 with the help of a few local organizers and less than 100 athletes, Alston said. The games continue to grow each year adding new events and increasing the number of athletes.
"It's a great way to keep in shape, keep hold of your competitive spirit and meet people when you do it," Alston said. "You get to meet people with the same interests. If you are doing cycling, all these people have bikes and you get to meet people who are really into cycling. When you come to events you meet these people and you can talk about your bikes and new strategies." §
INFO:
10th Annual Senior Games
www.gsoc.com
Alex Alston: 352-338-9300
