PORT ANGELES — Let the games begin!
From bowling to basketball, tennis to track, it’s time for the eighth annual Olympic Peninsula Senior Games.
More than 500 athletes age 50 and older will descend on Port Angeles for a 16-sport competition with 44 events at 13 venues in and around the city today through Sunday.
All the events are open to the public, and there is no charge to be a spectator and cheer on the competitors.
New to this year’s Olympic Peninsula Senior Games is jump rope — and a “cornhole” bag toss, a popular Midwest pastime that will be judged as a non-medal competition.
Among the popular events are softball, both men’s and co-ed, and track and field.
There is also indoor rowing, horseshoes, basketball, racquetball, tennis, bowling, cycling, golf, swimming and pickleball.
Pinochle, one of the games’ cerebral challenges, was a late addition to this year’s senior games.
There’s also bridge.
The venues include the Waterfront Trail, Laurel Lanes, YMCA, Peninsula Golf Course, Shane Park, Erickson Park tennis courts, William Shore Pool, Park View Villas and several schools.
Carry the torch
Mayor Cherie Kidd, accompanied by other members of the Port Angeles Sesquicentennial Committee, will carry the senior games torch for the opening ceremonies from the Port Angeles Historic District — which is on the east side of Lincoln Street between Fourth and Second streets — to the senior games headquarters at the Port Angeles Senior Center, 328 E. Seventh St.
Port Angeles is celebrating this year the 150th anniversary of the signing of an order by President Abraham Lincoln that established the town as a military and naval reservation on June 19, 1862.
“The Senior Center wants to honor the sesquicentennial by having the committee bring the torch,” said Kidd, who co-chairs the committee with historian Alice Donnelly.
Before carrying the torch, Kidd will greet the audience at 6 p.m. today at the “Celebrate PA” concert, which marks both local musician Anna Nichols’ 76th birthday and the city of Port Angeles’ 150th anniversary.
Athletes from all over
Seasoned athletes from far and wide have signed up to participate in this year’s games.
Said D Bellamente, director of the senior games and the executive director of the Port Angeles Senior Center:
“A big part of it is breaking down stereotypes of what it means to be 50 and up in our society.”
Many of the seniors are “rather serious athletes,” she said, while others aspire to have fun while testing their physical abilities and mental acumen.
“Getting people up and moving, no matter what their age, is great,” Bellamente added.
500 competitors
Last year’s senior games drew more than 500 competitors from nine states and 14 Canadian cities.
Bellamente told the three Clallam County commissioners Tuesday that more than 30 percent of the games’ participants are from out of the area.
“That’s an indication of the fun in this event,” Bellamente said in a follow-up interview.
An army of 130 volunteers will station the various venues to register and judge the competitions.
A celebration banquet will be held at Park View Villas at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
For more information, phone the senior center, 360-457-7004.
Or click on www.olympicpeninsulaseniorgames.com or www.portangelesseniorcenter.com.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5072, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
