MONTPELIER, VT- Hundreds of Vermont athletes over the age of 50, get ready for major summer competitions. The Vermont Senior Games Association (VSGA), a program of the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, announces its summer season of competitive athletic events for people over 50.
VSGA is also affiliated with the National Senior Games and 2018 is a qualifying year for the 2019 National Senior Games which will be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico in June of 2019. In the 2017 National Games, held in Birmingham, Alabama, 31 Vermont athletes competed bringing home 21 gold, silver and bronze medals.
Hundreds of Vermonters over 50, as well as senior athletes from neighboring states, are expected to register and compete in a wide range of sports from Pickleball to Golf over the next three months.
The Vermont Senior Games Association has been putting on high quality athletic events for people over 50 since 1982. VSGA is an all-volunteer-run organization and operates statewide with a commitment to providing “fun, fitness and fellowship” for any Vermonter over the age of 50 who wants to participate. Complete details on all the 2018 events are available on the VSGA website: www.vermontseniorgames.org.
The VSGA summer season will begin with an almost “sold out” three-day Pickleball Tournament on June 22, 23, and 24th with over 100 athletes participating. It will be held at The Robert Miller Community Recreation Center in Burlington. Pickleball is one of the fastest growing competitive sports and is a fast-paced racquet sport often described as a hybrid of tennis and table tennis.
On June 30th, VSGA will host the 2018 Track & Field Championship at the South Burlington High School. This popular meet features six running events and eight field events. Athletes from 50-90 years old are expected to register from Vermont, other New England states, NY, and Canada. One of the expected competitors is Shelburne’s Flo Meiler who holds the world record in the pole vault for her age group – which is 80-84.
On July 30th VSGA partners with the Colchester Recreation Department for the 33rd Annual Colchester Triathlon which begins at Bayside Beach in Colchester and includes swimming, biking and running legs. In the 2017 race, four VSGA athletes finished in the top 25 overall.
On August 25-26 there will be a two-day Tennis Championship Tournament held at The Quechee Club in White River Junction and on August 30th the 2018 Golf Championship Tournament will be held in a new location this year – the scenic Neshobe Golf Club in Brandon. The VSGA schedule will continue through October featuring 5K and 10K road races, cycling, basketball and table tennis.
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