World Senior Games

{{Short description|2021 Multi-sport senior Competition}}

{{Infobox Athletics Championships

|Name=Huntsman World Senior Games

|Logo=Logo_for_Huntsman_World_Senior_Games.png

|Host city=St. George, Utah, United States

|Dates=October 4–16, 2021

|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 and several other countries also participate.{{Cite web|url=https://seniorgames.net/history|title = World Senior Games}}{{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

}}{{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

}}{{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

}}{{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

}}{{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

}}{{cite news

|url=https://saltlakeexpress.com/huntsman-world-senior-games/

|title=The Huntsman World Senior Games

|date=September 19, 2017

|newspaper=Salt Lake Express

}}

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.{{cite web|url=https://seniorgames.net/about|title=Welcome to the Games!|access-date=Apr 22, 2021|publisher=Huntsman World Senior Games}}

All athletes aged 50 and over, of all skill levels, are eligible to compete.{{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

}}

No pre-qualification is necessary.{{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

}}

In addition to self-registered entries, invitation-only tournaments are also included, such as the Global Cup World Senior Volleyball Championships.{{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

}}{{cite web

|url=http://www.globalcupvolleyball.com/events/st-george-utah-usa-championship/

|title=St. George, Utah, USA

|publisher=Global Cup

}}

In 2018, 11,033 athletes from around the world participated, including 349 softball teams and 213 volleyball teams.{{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

}}{{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

}}{{cite web

|url=https://csobrugby.org/event/the-huntsman-world-senior-games/

|title=The Huntsman World Senior Games

|publisher=CSOBs Rugby

}}{{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

}}

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.{{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

}}{{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

}}

Singing and dancing performances at the opening ceremonies are provided by the performing arts studio Diamond Talent.{{cite web

|url=https://www.diamondtalentdancer.com/huntsmanworldseniorgames

|title=The Huntsman World Senior Games Opening Ceremonies

|publisher=Diamond Talent Productions

}}

In many events, U.S. competitors' results from the competition serve to qualify for the biennial National Senior Games.{{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

}}

Swimming events are eligible for setting masters swimming records.{{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

}}

In 1989 Jon Huntsman Sr. of the Huntsman Corporation became the Games' title sponsor.{{Cite web|url=https://seniorgames.net/history|title = World Senior Games}} The 2016 games had competitors from 34 countries in 29 sports, the oldest Daniel Bulkley, aged 99.{{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}} The 2020 competition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{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.

}} The World Senior Games annually brings in an estimated $17 million in direct economic impact to the St. George community.{{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

}} 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.{{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

}}