This past Saturday the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn hosted the final ceremony of the Brooklyn Senior Games. This exciting season of games for senior athletes began on May 9th with a torch relay across Brooklyn that introduced the neighborhood to the participants. According to a press release from Senator Jesse Hamilton, the games came from an inspiring story about the Empire State Senior Games in Cortland, New York.
A Brooklyn resident, Ms. Joyce Bolden, competed in swimming during those games and was swiftly awarded with a medal. After Ms. Bolden met with Senator Hamilton, his office decided to launch a partnership with NYC Parks and Colleagues to bring something similar to the Brooklyn senior athletic community.
During the closing event, Senator Hamilton said, "Congratulations to the inspirational senior athletes who demonstrate that fitness has no age limit. Thanks to all the partners who made these games possible. I am looking forward to building upon the tremendous success we met with the first ever Brooklyn Senior Games. We should all take up the challenge to become more active. I am certain that next year, whether as participants or spectators cheering on from the grandstands, we will see even more Brooklynites who have taken up that challenge."
Locals and visitors to the area were all in agreement that the sight of the senior athletes was quite inspirational as they ran their torch relay before breaking off into their individual games. Through recreation centers in various Brooklyn neighborhoods, the week-long festivities have allowed over 200 senior athletes to participate in some shape or form.
The closing ceremony commemorated the participants effort with a celebration at St. John's Recreation Center in Crown Heights that included poetry, music, dancing, and lunch. In the same vein as the other sports competitions, the athletes were then presented with individual awards based on the events that they excelled in. In addition to the partnership that Senator Hamilton's office created, the games also boasted sponsors from Brooklyn Borough President Eric L. Adams, NYC Councilman Robert Cornegy, NYS Senator Kevin Parker, community partners, the NYPD, FDNY, and NYC Department of Transportation.
