World Senior Games

{{Short description|2021 Multi-sport senior Competition}} {{Infobox Athletics Championships |Name=Huntsman World Senior Games |Logo=Logo_for_World_Senior_Games.svg |Host city=St. George, Utah, United States |Dates=Annual, every October |Stadium=Greater Zion Stadium and other venues |Level=Senior |Type=Senior Olympics |Events=34 }} The '''World Senior Games''' (since 1989 '''Huntsman World Senior Games''' for sponsorship reasons) is the largest annual multi-sport senior competition in the world. Most participants are U.S. citizens, but athletes from Canada, Australia, Russia, Japan, Barbados, and several other countries also participate.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://seniorgames.net/history|title = World Senior Games}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Reina |first=Hollie |date=July 31, 2020 |url=https://wchsutah.org/entertainment/huntsman-senior-games.php |title=HUNTSMAN WORLD SENIOR GAMES |newspaper=St. George News |publisher=Washington County Historical Society }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/huntsman_world_senior_games_named_2016_best_of_state/prweb13487683.htm |title=Huntsman World Senior Games Named 2016 Best of State |date=June 15, 2016 |publisher=PRWEB }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://mastersrankings.com/huntsman-world-senior-games/ |title=Huntsman World Senior Games |last=Castro |first=Ken |date=October 28, 2017 |publisher=MastersRankings }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.flippingfifty.com/senior-games/ |title=The Senior Games Off The Scale and Onto a Starting Line |date=17 July 2018 |publisher=Flipping Fifty }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Sprecher |first=Mary Helen |date=Sep 20, 2017 |url=https://www.sportsdestinations.com/sports/multi-sport-games/inside-events-huntsman-world-senior-games-13456 |title=Inside Events: Huntsman World Senior Games |publisher=Due North Media }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://saltlakeexpress.com/huntsman-world-senior-games/ |title=The Huntsman World Senior Games |date=September 19, 2017 |newspaper=Salt Lake Express }}</ref> The Games was founded in 1987 as a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization, "with the mission to foster worldwide peace, health and friendship and lead the world in active aging.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://seniorgames.net/about|title=Welcome to the Games!|access-date=Apr 22, 2021|publisher=Huntsman World Senior Games}}</ref> All athletes aged 50 and over, of all skill levels, are eligible to compete.<ref>{{cite news |last=Schwartz |first=Gadi |date=Dec 20, 2019 |url=https://www.today.com/video/super-seniors-compete-in-the-huntsman-world-senior-games-75432005769 |title=Super seniors compete in the Huntsman World Senior Games |newspaper=3rd Hour Today |publisher=NBC UNIVERSAL }}</ref> No pre-qualification is necessary.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.topendsports.com/events/games/masters/seniors/index.htm |title=Huntsman World Senior Games |last1=Wood |first1=Robert |date=2014 |publisher=Topend Sports }}</ref> In addition to self-registered entries, invitation-only tournaments are also included, such as the '''Global Cup World Senior Volleyball Championships'''.<ref>{{cite news |date=October 1, 2016 |url=https://suindependent.com/huntsman-world-senior-games/ |title=Huntsman World Senior Games celebrates 30th anniversary |newspaper=St. George News |publisher=The Independent }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.globalcupvolleyball.com/events/st-george-utah-usa-championship/ |title=St. George, Utah, USA |publisher=Global Cup }}</ref>

In 2018, 11,033 athletes from around the world participated, including 349 softball teams and 213 volleyball teams.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://gisbarbados.gov.bb/blog/tag/huntsman-world-senior-games/ |title=Forde Denies Committing Funds For Huntsman Senior Games |date=Oct 3, 2019 |publisher=Barbados Government Information Service |website=bgis }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Griffin |first=Andy |date=October 22, 2017 |url=https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2017/10/22/spo-2017-huntsman-world-senior-games-conclude-in-style/ |title=2017 Huntsman World Senior Games conclude in style |newspaper=St George News |publisher=StGeorgeUtah.com LLC }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://csobrugby.org/event/the-huntsman-world-senior-games/ |title=The Huntsman World Senior Games |publisher=CSOBs Rugby }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=October 20, 2018 |url=https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2018/10/20/prc-huntsman-world-senior-games-closes-with-participation-numbers-rivaling-olympics/ |title=Huntsman World Senior Games closes with participation numbers rivaling Olympics |newspaper=St George News |publisher=StGeorgeUtah.com LLC }}</ref> Following the tradition of the Olympic Games, opening ceremonies are held at Greater Zion Stadium at Utah Tech University in St. George, Utah, and feature a parade of athletes and a fireworks display.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://utahsportscommission.com/news/huntsman-world-senior-games-a-place-to-chase-dreams |title=Huntsman World Senior Games: A Place To Chase Dreams |date=3 October 2019 |publisher=Utah Sports Commission }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=October 3, 2019 |url=https://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2019/10/03/prc-huntsman-world-senior-games-to-welcome-record-number-of-participants-next-week/ |title=Huntsman World Senior Games to welcome 'record number' of participants next week |newspaper=St George News |publisher=StGeorgeUtah.com LLC }}</ref> Singing and dancing performances at the opening ceremonies are provided by the performing arts studio Diamond Talent.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.diamondtalentdancer.com/huntsmanworldseniorgames |title=The Huntsman World Senior Games Opening Ceremonies |publisher=Diamond Talent Productions }}</ref>

In many events, U.S. competitors' results from the competition serve to qualify for the biennial National Senior Games.<ref>{{cite web |last=Parrish-Kell |first=Bonnie |date=October 15, 2018 |url=https://slowpokedivas.com/2018/10/2018-huntsman-world-senior-games-triathlon-results/ |title=2018 Huntsman World Senior Games Triathlon Results |publisher=Slowpoke Divas }}</ref> Swimming events are eligible for setting masters swimming records.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usms.org/events/events/huntsman-world-senior-games?ID=8829 |title=Huntsman World Senior Games |publisher=U.S. Masters Swimming }}</ref>

In 1989 Jon Huntsman Sr. of the Huntsman Corporation became the Games' title sponsor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://seniorgames.net/history|title = World Senior Games}}</ref> The 2016 games had competitors from 34 countries in 29 sports, the oldest Daniel Bulkley, aged 99.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://kutv.com/news/local/30th-annual-huntsman-world-senior-games-breaking-records-in-st-george|title = 30th annual Huntsman World Senior Games breaking records in St. George|date = 4 October 2016}}</ref> The 2020 competition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.abc4.com/coronavirus/the-huntsman-world-senior-games-benched-by-covid-19/ |title=The Huntsman World Senior Games benched by COVID-19 |date=Jul 31, 2020 |newspaper=ABC4 News |publisher=Nexstar Media Inc. }}</ref> The World Senior Games annually brings in an estimated $17 million in direct economic impact to the St. George community.<ref>{{cite news |last=Jorgensen |first=Janzen |date=October 15, 2019 |url=https://suunews.net/2019/10/15/old-in-age-young-at-heart-the-2019-huntsman-world-senior-games/ |title=Old in Age, Young at Heart: The 2019 Huntsman World Senior Games |newspaper=SUU News }}</ref> Brigham Young University students have provided free health screenings, conducted research at the games and published findings in peer-reviewed journals, and are a major source of volunteers at the competition.<ref>{{cite news |date=June 29, 2020 |url=https://lifesciences.byu.edu/magazine/the-huntsman-world-senior-games |title=The Huntsman World Senior Games |newspaper=Impact Magazine |publisher=Brigham Young University College of Life Sciences }}</ref>

==Events== For 2021, competition was planned in 34 different sports.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://seniorgames.net/event |title=CHOOSE A SPORT |access-date=Apr 21, 2021 |publisher=Huntsman World Senior Games }}</ref>

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==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{official website|https://seniorgames.net}} *{{YouTube|u=worldseniorgames}} *{{Facebook|worldseniorgames}} *[https://www.the50over50.fit/ Fittest 50 Over 50] *[https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/huntsman-world-senior-games-ac-542249 Active Life podcast]

Category:Senior Olympics Category:Senior sports competitions Category:Multi-sport events in the United States Category:Recurring sporting events established in 1987 Category:Sports competitions in Utah