In sports, extra effort often pays off in dividends. That was true forBobMackie and Louise Parkerfrom Sechelt, who took home asilver medal in the square dancing competition at the Huntsman World Senior Games on Oct. 9.
"Being recognized as athletes and winning anothersilver medal is wonderful, but the friends, fun and fitness are the reasons we love tosquare dance," Mackie said. "We enjoy the challenge of dancing as a team and keeping up with the caller's complex choreography. We also enjoyed theballroomdancing."
The Huntsman World Senior Games is a world-class, Olympic-format, international sporting event for athletes ages 50 years and older. Founded more than 20 years ago, the Games currently hosts more than 9,500 athletes annually. Each October for two weeks, the event is held in colourful St. George, Utah. At the 2008 Games, athletes competed in 25 different sports."One of the things that makes this event so unique is that it is more than just a collection of sporting events," said Kyle Case, Huntsman World Senior Games CEO, in a news release. "The Games is a total experience, so much more than just another sports competition."
The 2008 Huntsman World Senior Games played host to approximately 9,700 participants from all 50 of the United States and 20 foreign countries. The majority of the participants are male (about 66 per cent) and the average age is around 64 years young. While almost all the athletes' first trip to the Games was prompted by the athletic competition, by their third year, many of the participants list social aspects such as meeting new friends and renewing acquaintances as their primary reason for attending the Games.
"We'd like to invite athletes of all skill levels, from the elite to the novice, to experience this amazing event," said Case. "Once you experience the Games, we know you'll have a great time and we'll be seeing you for years to come."
For additional information on the Games, see www.seniorgames.net.
