CHEYENNE – The Summer Wyoming Senior Olympics are coming back to Cheyenne in August 2019 and 2020, offering local seniors a chance to prove their athletic prowess to the hometown crowd.
State Senior Olympics President Bill Stone announced Cheyenne was getting the Games in a small press event with Mayor Marian Orr, officials from the city recreation department and Visit Cheyenne on Monday morning.
Cheyenne first hosted in 2011 and 2012 and set records for participation, hosting more than 500 athletes from 17 states, Stone said.
He is hoping the Capital City will deliver again with its state-leading population and location on the Front Range.
“We haven’t had 500 (athletes) since we had it in Cheyenne,” he said. “So that’s the goal.”
Athletes will be able to participate in more than a dozen sports, including track and field, swimming and pickleball, a hybrid of tennis, table tennis and badminton popular among athletic baby boomers.
Stone said anyone with an ounce of athleticism or interest in an event should come out and give something a shot. Online registration will begin in March 2018 at www.wyseniorolympics.com.
“We’ve gotten people anywhere from 50 years old to the 90s,” Stone said. “I’ve seen a 93-year-old run a 50-yard dash.”
He added, smiling, “It wasn’t quite a dash, but that was the name of the event.”
The Games are open to anyone from any state. Gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded to the top three in-state and out-of-state athletes.
Every event will be held both years, Stone said, but only medalists in 2020 competitions will qualify for the National Senior Games, where they’ll be able to compete against winners from other state competitions.
City recreation director Kari Kivisto is already working on venues for the events. She said Laramie County School District 1 has pledged its support for events such as basketball and swimming, and she was planning on hosting racquetball and pickleball at Laramie County Community College. She said canoe racing would likely be at city-owned Sloans Lake.
Visit Cheyenne President and CEO Darren Rudloff said his organization would be providing marketing muscle, putting on opening night receptions, and assisting with registration and badges.
He also projected the Senior Olympics would provide a $900,000 boost to Laramie County’s economy during the two summers.
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