NOTE: “Today” and “tonight” refer to Friday, Aug. 22.
PORT ANGELES — The 10th and final weekend of the annual Olympic Peninsula Senior Games for athletes 50 and older begins today.
The 2014 games will involve local and visiting athletes competing in 14 sporting events, said D Bellamente, executive director of the Olympic Peninsula Senior Games and the Port Angeles Senior Center, which sponsors the games.
“It’s going to be an awesome weekend. All our ducks are in a row,” Bellamente said.
Registration is closed for most events, but a few sports may still accept late registrations to fill out foursomes or doubles, Bellamente said. For more information on possible late registrations, phone the senior center at 360-457-7004.
Spectators welcome
Spectators can watch for free and are welcome at all venues. Schedules are available at the senior center — Senior Games headquarters — at 328 E. Seventh St. and on the Olympic Peninsula Senior Games website at www.olympicpeninsulaseniorgames.com.
This weekend’s slate of games will be a capstone to a decade of an annual athletic event that organizers said they never expected would become so popular or successful.
“In 2004, we didn’t even know if it would fly. Now here we are with close to 500 participants,” Bellamente said.
This will be the last full weekend of games.
Not the end of events
Future athletic events will be organized individually, with tournaments and meets held on various weekends throughout the year, to enable senior athletes to take part in multiple sports, Bellamente said.
“It opens it up to more participation,” she said.
Opening ceremonies will be at the Port Angeles Senior Center at 7 p.m. tonight after a torch run from downtown.
The lighting of the Games Flame, a presentation of colors, the athletes’ recitation of the Athletes’ Creed and refreshments are part of the ceremonies.
But the games will begin hours earlier.
Athletes can check in at the senior center beginning at 8 a.m. today, and tournaments are planned for badminton and pinochle.
Games continue through Saturday and into Sunday afternoon.
Traditional competitive athletic events include swimming, track and field, cycling, slow-pitch softball, bowling and basketball.
Also planned are horseshoes, pickleball, pinochle and shuffleboard.
Cornhole, an event in which no medals will be awarded, is a traditional Midwestern game that will be offered all three days.
It cannot be compared to a simple children’s game of beanbag toss, Bellamente said.
“As adults, the rules get complicated,” she said.
The bags are filled with “American corn kernels,” and Bellamente said everything about the game has some kind of traditional Midwestern element to it.
Awards
Gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded to the first-, second- and third-place finishers by age group and gender unless otherwise stated in the individual sport description.
Medals will be presented at the completion of each competition. Any not received at the competition venue will be available for pickup at the senior center.
After the games end, results will be posted at the senior center and on the Olympic Peninsula Senior Games website.
For more information, visit the website or phone the senior center at 360-457-7004.
________
Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
