WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Wednesday officially marks the beginning of the 38th annual Iowa Senior Games, an Olympic-style sports event for athletes who are at least 50 years old.
Due to its Olympic nature, participants can compete against other athletes for chances to win gold, silver or bronze medals. The event is put on by the Iowa Sports Foundation and has been held every June since 1987.
In the past, Valley High School in West Des Moines has been the main headquarters for the event, but because construction is currently underway in that area, this year's events and welcome center will be at Waukee High School.
A full list of events can be found here. Or, click here to view a detailed schedule.
While two smaller events took place on May 19 and May 31, the main events began Wednesday morning with pickleball for participants ages 50 through 64 at Dinks Pickleball at Merle Hay Mall, followed by shuffleboard at the Indian Hills Junior High School.
On Saturday, Ann Hegstrom from De Soto and Tim Phillips of Hiawatha will be inducted into the 2024 Iowa Senior Games Hall of Fame class.
"The Iowa Senior Games provides a unique opportunity to showcase the talents of so many and creates an avenue for participants to connect with one another through the experience," Nicole Kennedy, chief operating officer for the Iowa Sports Foundation, said in a statement.
More information on the event can be found at iowaseniorgames.org.
