National Senior Games slated for May 5 – 20

The 20th Edition of the National Senior Games will be held from May 5 to 20, with the finals of the track and field events taking place at the Usain Bolt Complex, on May 18,19, and 20.

This was revealed Friday by Minister of People Empowerment and Elder Affairs, Kirk Humphrey, as he addressed a press conference at Vauxhall Senior Citizens’ Village, Vauxhall, Christ Church.

Humphrey, in encouraging the athletes and the general public to support the Games, called for “new athletes” to participate and continue the tradition.

“I want some new, not necessarily young, but new faces to come to the Games and participate and to get the level of fitness eventually… and just to maintain healthy ageing,” he said.

The Minister noted that Barbados has one of the oldest populations in the world, and the results of the last census show that for every person over 65, there was one in five people and for those over 60, there was one in four persons in the country.

Humphrey continued: “That’s a very old population. If you look at the trajectory, unchecked, in the next few years, the average Barbadian will be almost 60. So, we have to be careful in terms of how we plan Barbados. We have to make sure that we have events for seniors to be able to do … This is about active ageing; it is also about us finding ways for older people to continue to work, older people to be part of the economy. I think you should be marketing products to older people. It makes no sense not to do it since our population is ageing. So, I want to encourage Barbadians, particularly older Barbadians to get involved.”

The 2024 Games will comprise 19 disciplines, up from 13 last year, and three persons will be honoured in the same vein that Victor Young; Hamilton Lashley, and Kathy Harper-Hall were recognised in 2023, at the start of the Games.

It is also anticipated that a programme documenting the “Road To Senior Games” will be televised over the next eight weeks, on CBC-TV8.

Humphrey, while pointing out that the Ministry would be honouring some of the senior athletes who participated in the Games over the last 20 years or so, said: “We have to capture a lot of what we are losing – when some of the older people begin to talk, the things that they tell you; the things that many young people never even heard [about] and things that make a lot of sense because they carry knowledge… We have to be in a position to respect our seniors who have made a significant contribution to Barbados.”

Meanwhile, Co-ordinator of the National Senior Games, Jasper Blades, in outlining “the bigger and better Games”, said the new additions are motor sports, badminton, cricket, football, volleyball (both beach and court) and bodybuilding.

Pointing out there was potential for other sports to come on board, he said the Ministry had also engaged the services of a technical advisor to aid in the preparation and development of these sports and would be adding an aspect called “The Face of the Sports” this year, which will showcase senior athletes and their associated sport.

(PR)