When the extra time had been played and final whistle blew on the soccer pitch between Salty Sisters and 3 Left Feel - Mile High, the 2024 Huntsman World Senior Games came to a close on Saturday, October 19. This year's Games was significant in a multitude of ways. Dozens of records were broken, including 8 national and world records in swimming alone. The Games registered a record number of softball teams and volleyball teams. Speaking of registration records, the Games shattered the record from the most athletes ever registered for the Games with 12,055. For context, that is 1,555 MORE athletes than competed in the Paris Olympics. And considering that we'll host the Games every year instead of every four like the Olympics, we'll host almost 50,000 athletes to their 10,000. You, the senior athlete, are part of something very special when you take part in the Huntsman World Senior Games.

Perhaps most significant this year, the Games accepted the role and the responsibility of being The Senior World Championships. When we looked around at the senior sports world, we realized that no one was providing a world championship experience for senior athletes and we felt like they deserved one. Consequently, every gold medalist from this year's Games, went home a Senior World Champion. That's worth celebrating.

Our hope is that we will see each of you, and your friends, next year when we do it all again. The dates for the 2025 Huntsman World Senior Games: The Senior World Championships will be October 6 - 18. Be sure to put it on your calendars. Also, make sure to remember Team Registration will open midnight (Mountain Time) on January 1, individual registration at the stroke of midnight on March 1.

Thursday saw the completion of the sports of climbing and horseshoes which ended with medal ceremonies and the crowing of senior world champions. On the other end of the spectrum, shuffleboard got underway along with soccer. The Games continue.

Friday’s sports include:

Basketball 5-on-5
Bike Tours
Bowling
Pickleball
Rowing - Indoor
Shooting - Benchrest
Shotgun Sports
Shuffleboard
Soccer
Softball
Volleyball
Walking Tours

The Friendship Festival on Friday runs from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Featured entertainment will include Kira, World Dance Company and from 6:00 pm- 8:00 pm, Fabled Folks. That night we’ll be highlighting Bowling, Rowing, Shuffleboard, and Volleyball.

Wednesday saw the completion of road races, one of the Games original sports, when the last runner crossed the finish line in the 10K race, which flowed down beautiful Snow Canyon State Park. And the end of one event coincided with the launch of a brand new sport, climbing. Athletes from all around the United States converged on Contact Climbing Gym for the inaugural event.

Basketball 5-on-5, bowling, horseshoes, pickleball, shooting - benchrest, shotgun sports, softball and volleyball all continued competition working towards finals and medal ceremonies.

Thursday's Sports are:

Basketball 5-on-5
Bike Tours
Bowling
Climbing
Horseshoes
Pickleball
Shooting - Benchrest
Shotgun Sports
Shuffleboard
Soccer
Softball
Volleyball
Walking Tours

Come and hang out at the Friendship Festival on Thursday night from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Featured entertainment will include Desert Winds Band, Jazz & Blues Vocalist Christian Erickson, and from 6:00 pm- 8:00 pm - Kate Chanson, Remembering the Greats: Patsy Cline, Ella Fitzgerald, Dolly Parton and Peggy Lee.​

Highlighted sports are Basketball - 5-on-5, Climbing, Horseshoes, and Pickleball.

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The Concert & Celebration of the Huntsman World Senior Games did not disappoint. Athletes from around the world as well as community members jammed along to the hits of Abba including Dancing Queen, Take A Chance, Fernando, Mamma Mia, Waterloo and so many others. The energetic crowd couldn’t stay in their seats once the beginning strains of Gimme Gimme hit the speakers. More than 3,000 people kept the energy going all the way through the encore of Dancing Queen. For those who were unable to attend, the show is available in it's entirety on the Games YouTube channel.

Medals were awarded in volleyball and multiple teams took home to their country of origin, gold medals and the title of Senior World Champion. Mountain biking also wrapped up today with the time trial event in Virgin, Utah.

The sports on Wednesday include:

Basketball 5-on-5
Bike Tours
Bowling
Climbing
Golf - Medal (By Age)
Horseshoes
Pickleball
Road Races - 10K
Shooting - Benchrest
Shotgun Sports
Softball
Volleyball
Walking Tours

Practice for Shuffleboard is available at Tonaquint Intermediate School from 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM.

Don’t miss the chance to hang out with friends both old and new at the Friendship Festival on Wednesday night from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. Featured entertainment will include Dylan Gavin: Acoustic Guitar, Encore!: Villans Production​, and headliners from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM - Imagine: Remembering the Fab Four!. Sports to be highlighted include Mountain Biking, Road Races,  Soccer, Softball, Shooting: Benchrest, and Shotgun Sports.​

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After a brief break on Sunday, volleyball was back in action today with bracket play. The road race - 5K saw a potential new record for the men, pending verification and basketball - 5-on-5 hit the courts. The Games’ largest individual sport, pickleball, also kicked off today with over 1,100 preparing to “stay out of the kitchen.” On top of that, bowling took to the lanes, with nearly 150 bowlers looking for a strike. One of the highlights of the day was the event's most senior athlete, Eva Sorensen competing today in her favorite sport, bowling. As a multi-sport athlete, she'll also be competing in shuffleboard later this week.

Tuesday’s sports are:

Basketball 5-on-5
Bike Tours
Bowling
Golf - Medal (By Age)
Golf Skills
Horseshoes
Mountain Biking
Pickleball
Shooting - Benchrest
Shotgun Sports
Softball
Volleyball

Health screenings will ramp back up on Tuesday morning at 8:00 AM. All athletes are encouraged to take advantage of all the screenings available, valuing at approximately $1,500 but is absolutely free for registered participants.

On Tuesday night, you will definitely want to join the celebration at the FREE Concert & Celebration!  This year, the event features the biggest hits of ABBA, performed by BandAbba - The Ultimate Tribute to Abba. All the fun takes place in the Burns Arena on the Campus of Utah Tech University on Tuesday, October 15. Doors open at 6:00 pm and the show starts at 7:00 pm. Concessions will be available. Remember that Utah Tech has a clear bag policy.

Practice is also available for climbing at Contact Climbing.

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The weekend of the first week of the Huntsman World Senior Games is in sight with Archery - 3D, Cycling, Shooting - Handgun, and Swimming coming to a close. Multiple records were broken in the pool this year including an incredible four world records by centenarian Betty Brussel from British Columbia, Canada. She touched the wall faster than anyone in history in the 100M, 200M, 400M, and 800M freestyle events. Betty was a favorite at the Opening Ceremonies where she delivered the athletes oath to thousands of athletes, all of whom aspired to be as spry at her age.

But the week is not over yet. Saturday’s sports will be:

Basketball - 3x3 - Men
Bike Tours
Cowboy Action Shooting
Disc Golf
Power Walking
Race Walking
Racquetball
Softball
Tennis
Trail Running
Triathlon
Volleyball
Walking Tours

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Thursday saw the end to several events including Table Tennis, Golf - Big Shots, and Square Dance. In the Dixie Convention Center, the two players battled for the right to put their name on the perpetual Table Tennis trophy at Center Court for the Overall Elite Championship. Congratulations to Rudy Miranda, our 2024 champ, and now 4-time winner of the trophy.

The evening culminated with friendships and food trucks at the Friendship Festival featuring the music stylings of The Mixx.

Friday’s sports include:

Archery - 3D
Basketball - 3x3 - Men
Bike Tours
Cowboy Action Shooting
Cycling
Disc Golf
Power Walking
Race Walking
Racquetball
Shooting - Handgun
Softball
Swimming
Tennis
Volleyball
Walking Tours

Make sure you take advantage of the Friendship Festival. Everyone is invited to attend every night for fun , music, and  food trucks.  Athletes and volunteers can use their $10 meal voucher at any of the food trucks. Friday’s highlighted sports will be Disc Golf, Powerwalk, Racewalk, Racquetball, Trail Running and Triathlon. 

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Wednesday in many ways is a day of transition. Several sports draw to a close, hold inspiring medal ceremonies and their athletes bid farewell to friends who are like family. Sports like Archery - Target, Basketball 3-on-3 Women and Track and Field wrapped things up. On the other hand, new athletes rolled into town, got checked in at the Dixie Convention Center and boldly strode onto their field of competition, Swimming, Racquetball, Basketball 3-on-3 Men and Golf - Medal included.

This evening saw a burgeoning crowd at the first night of the Friendship Festival where food, fun and friendly conversations were shared.

The night culminated with the Huntsman World Senior Games Hall of Fame where the Games honored 11 athletes and volunteers who have made exceptional contributions to the Games. This year’s nominees were Daniella Barnea, Sanjoy Bhattacharya, Keith Bressman, Jean Bulatao, Peter Hansen, Kathleen Harper-Hall, Eric Johnson, Joel La Borde, Jinny Longee, Ainsley Lovell and Bruce Pickett. Congratulations to each of the nominees.

Thursday’s sports include

Archery - 3D
Basketball - 3x3 - Men
Basketball Shoot - Men
Bike Tours
Cowboy Action Shooting
Cycling
Golf - Big Shots
Golf - Medal By Handicap
Power Walking
Race Walking
Racquetball
Shooting - Handgun
Softball
Square Dance
Swimming
Table Tennis
Tennis
Walking Tours

Don't miss the Friendship Festival. Everyone is invited to attend every night for fun , music, and  food trucks.  Athletes and volunteers can use their $10 meal voucher at any of the food trucks.The sports highlighted on Thursday will be 3x3 Basketball, Archery - 3D, Archery - Target, Cycling, Shooting: Handgun, Square Dancing, Swimming, and Tennis.

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Tuesday saw the start of several new sports including archery - target, cowboy action shooting, cycling, and shooting handgun. One of the highlights of the day was the match - up between Herb Wilkinson, and Bill Owens, in the 50M sprint billed as the “race of the centuries.” Bill Owens came off victorious in the faceoff, but both athletes at 100-years-old each are both winners in most people’s books.  

Opening Ceremonies lived up to its billing with Siva Pasefika sharing the culture of the Oceanic islands and the flag extravaganza highlighting the 91 nations represented at the Games since 1987.

Wednesday’s sports include:

Archery - Target
Basketball - 3x3 - Women
Bike Tours
Cowboy Action Shooting
Cycling
Golf - Big Shots
Golf - Medal By Handicap
Racquetball
Shooting - Handgun
Softball
Square Dance
Swimming
Table Tennis
Tennis
Track & Field
Walking Tours

Don't miss the Friendship Festival. Everyone is invited to attend every night for fun , music, and  food trucks.  Athletes and volunteers can use their $10 meal voucher at any of the food trucks. Cowboy Action Shooting, Golf, Table Tennis, and Track & Field will be highlighted.

In addition, the Huntsman World Senior Games Hall of Fame Banquet will honor over a dozen inductees.

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Monday saw the first day of competition at the Huntsman World Senior Games: The Senior World Championships. The first sport to be completed was Basketball Shoot for the women. Once the balls had stopped bouncing and the scores were tabulated, the first-ever Senior World Champion was Marquita Molina.

At age 84, Marquita made history as the first-ever Senior World Champion in Basketball Shoot Free Throw & 3-Point Shoot.

“I grew up in Michigan playing with the boys, since there was no girls’ team back then.” After discovering the Huntsman World Senior Games through a poster in a grocery store, Marquita has been competing for 26 years!

Retired after 26 years as a Sergeant in corrections, Marquita still stays active every day.

Her advice for staying healthy:

“If you sit home watching TV, your thumb will get exercise, but you won’t!”

Tuesday’s sports include:

Archery - Target

Basketball - 3x3 - Women

Bike Tours

Cowboy Action Shooting

Cycling

Golf - Big Shots

Shooting - Handgun

Softball

Square Dance

Table Tennis

Tennis

Track & Field

Walking Tours

Tuesday evening will feature the Opening Ceremonies. Before the action starts, don’t miss the Pre-Ceremonies Pizza Party. The first 1,000 people eat for free. The Pre-Ceremonies Pizza Party begins at 5:00 PM on the east side of the Burns Arena and is made available by Meridian Senior.

Following the Pizza Party, athletes should line up for the Parade of Athletes at 6:30 PM on the south side of the Burns Arena. The first 500 athletes to line up for the Parade of Athletes will receive free boom sticks.

The Huntsman World Senior Games Opening Ceremonies is the do-not-miss event of the Games. A celebration of fostering worldwide peace, health and friendship along with active aging, the show features inspiration and entertainment that is sure to delight audiences of all ages. Best of all, the event is free to everyone. The first 1,000 spectators will receive free boom sticks to cheer on the athletes in the Parade of Athletes.

The Games is proud to announce that the night's headlining entertainment will be Siva Pasefika. This dynamic entertainment troupe was created in 2006. They carry out and cultivate the Siva Pasefika vision by sharing Oceanic Mana and Aloha of Polynesia through dance and song. Their fresh perspectives of a rich culture takes Siva Pasefika to higher heights, renown stages with opportunities and experiences that allow them to showcase their love and passion. The show takes place on Tuesday, October 8 at 7:00 PM in the Utah Tech Burns Arena.

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Today friends, family and athletes celebrated dedication and longevity at the Huntsman World Senior Games at the John H. Morgan Endurance Club Awards. This year the Games will celebrate 195 athletes who will receive their 15-year ring, 102 athletes receiving their 20-year watch, 26 athletes accepting the 25-year sandstone trophy, and 9 individuals will receive the coveted 30-year letterman’s jacket. 

In addition to the Endurance Club Awards, the Games were kicked off with the official Cauldron Lighting Ceremony. The Vista Rising Stars from Vista Charter School in Ivins, Utah warmed up the crowd with their choreography and vocal chops and then every athlete present took part in torch relay which culminated with the lighting of the Huntsman World Senior Games Cauldron by 91-year-old Evelyn Jones, a bowler and softball player from Santa Cruz, California, USA. who has competed in the Games 22 times. The cauldron will be lit every night of the Friendship Festival and available for photos.

Competition will kick off on Monday in the following sports:

Basketball - 3x3 - Women

Basketball Shoot - Women

Bike Tours

Golf - Big Shots

Golf - Social

Softball

Square Dance

Table Tennis

Tennis

Track & Field

Walking Tours

Practice will be available for Archery - Target and Swimming.