TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Distance makes no matter to 687 Florida Senior Games athletes who will be participating in the 2019 National Senior Games in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Patricia Fincannon and Dorothy Jarboe, of Key Largo, are traveling 2,051 miles to Albquerque as competitors in Women’s Singles Shuffleboard at the 2019 National Senior Games.
The 2019 Games will mark the third trip to the National Senior Games for Jarboe and the first for Fincannon.
“I’ve just had such a good time and always enjoyed it,” said Jarboe. “Pat’s never been so I talked her into it. She has family out there, and I have friends so it will be a combination of vacation and competition. It’s not that I’m that serious. There are a lot of players who are more serious. The competition is fun; you meet a lot of nice people, and I like to travel.”
A total of 13,617 individuals have registered to compete in the 18 sports of the National Senior Games, from June 15-24, a new participation record for the biennial event that has been in existence since 1987.
Albuquerque is the 15th community to host the Games and the organization recently announced Greater Fort Lauderdale will host the 2021 National Senior Games.
Since 2001, a total of 5,604 Florida athletes have followed the road to the National Senior Games with a qualifying performance beginning at a Local Senior Games in the Sunshine State. In even-numbered years, a qualifying performance at the Florida Senior Games, presented by Humana, led them to the National Games, held in odd-numbered years.
“The vitality, competitive nature and desire for an active lifestyle is what the Florida Senior Athletes will bring to the 2019 National Senior Games in Albuquerque,” said Florida Sports Foundation’s Vice President of Amateur Sports and Events, Marvin E. Green, Jr. “The energy they display at the 2019 Games will hopefully rub off on other senior athletes in Albuquerque and convince them to make the trip to the 2021 National Senior Games in the Greater Fort Lauderdale area.”
The 18-sport schedule of events features 10 days of competition at Albuquerque locations. The Albuquerque Convention Center will host four sports (Badminton, Shuffleboard, Table Tennis and Volleyball) events and the Athlete’s Village. The University of New Mexico will host Basketball at the Dreamstyle Arena (The Pit) and Track and Field at the UNM Track & Field and Soccer Complex.
To access a complete listing, by sport, of all of the Sunshine State’s representatives at the 2019 National Senior Games, click here.
Click here to access a photo gallery from the 2017 National Senior Games in Birmingham, Ala.
2019 National Senior Games Schedule of Events and Number of Florida Athletes Competing
Archery – Saturday, June 15-Saturday, June 22, Balloon Festival Park – 30 Florida Athletes Competing
Compound Release (6/15-16); Recurve (6/18-19); Barebow Recurve and Compound, Compound Fingers (6/21-22)
Badminton – June 15-20, Albuquerque Convention Center – 3 Florida Athletes Competing
June 15-17 (50-69 age groups) – June 18-20 (70-100 age groups)
Basketball – Saturday, June 15-Monday, June 24, Dreamstyle Arena (The Pit), University of New Mexico; Volcano Vista HS – 51 Florida Athletes Competing
55+ & 65+ (6/15-18), 70+ and above (6/17-21), 50+ & 60+ (6/21-24)
Bowling – Saturday, June 15-Friday, June 21, Starlight Bowling Center – 29 Florida Athletes Competing
Singles (6/15-16), M/W Doubles (6/18-19) Mixed (6/20-21)
Cycling – Saturday, June 15-Wednesday, June 20 – 44 Florida Athletes Competing
Saturday, June 15-16 (Time Trials, Atrisco Vista Blvd., Albuquerque) – Wednesday, June 19-20 (Road Races, The Club at Las Campanas, Santa Fe)
Golf – Monday, June 17-Wednesday, June 19, Three different courses – 45 Florida Athletes Competing
Sandia Golf Club, University of New Mexico Championship Course, Santa Ana Golf, Santa Ana Pueblo
Horseshoes – June 20-24, Los Altos Park – 2 Florida Athletes Competing
June 20-21 (70-100 Age Groups); June 23-24 (50-69 Age Groups)
Pickleball – Saturday, June 15-Monday, June 24, Manzano Mesa Multigenerational Center – 69 Florida Athletes Competing
M/W Doubles 50-64 (6/15-16); MXD Doubles 50-64 (6/17-18); M/W Singles 50-64 (6/19)
WD 65-100 (6/21) MD 65-100 (6/22); MXD 65-100 (6/23-24)
Race Walk and Power Walk – Saturday, June 15 and Monday, June 17 – 11 Florida Athletes Competing in Power Walk, 14 in Race Walk
Saturday, June 15 (1500-meter, University of New Mexico); Monday, June 17 (5K, Balloon Festival Park)
Racquetball – Saturday, June 15-Wednesday, June 19, Midtown and Downtown Sports and Wellness Centers – 7 Florida Athletes Competing
M/W Singles (6/15-18) M/W Doubles (6/16-19); MXD (6/16-19)
Road Race – Friday, June 21 and Sunday, June 23 – 25 Florida Athletes Competing
Friday, June 21 (5K, Balloon Festival Park) and Sunday, June 23 (10K, National Hispanic Culture Center)
Shuffleboard – Monday, June 17-Monday, June 24, Convention Center – 14 Florida Athletes Competing
M/W Singles 50-69 (6/17-18); M/W & MXD Doubles 50-69 (6/19-20); M/W Singles 70-100 (6/21-22) M/W & MXD (6/23-24)
Softball – Saturday, June 15-Monday, June 24 – Albuquerque Regional Sports Complex – 80 Florida Athletes Competing
W 50 & 60 (6/15-17); W 55+, 65+, 70+, 75+ (6/17-21); Men (6/21-24)
Swimming – Sunday, June 16-Wednesday, June 20 – West Mesa Aquatic Center – 50 Florida Athletes Competing
Table Tennis – Wednesday, June 19-Monday, June 24, Convention Center – 28 Florida Athletes Competing
M/W Singles 50-64 (6/19); M/W Doubles 50-69 (6/20); MXD All Ages (6/21); M/W Singles 65-74 (6/22); M/W Singles 75+ (6/23); M/W Doubles 70+ and up (6/24)
Tennis – Saturday, June 15-Monday, June 24, Jerry Cline Tennis Complex – 60 Florida Athletes Competing
Track and Field – Sunday, June 16-Thursday, June 20 – University of New Mexico – 63 Florida Athletes Competing
Triathlon – Saturday, June 22 – Cochiti Lake – 7 Florida Athletes Competing
Volleyball – Saturday, June 15-Thursday, June 20, Convention Center – 45 Florida Athletes Competing