Fun and fitness combine as London Summer Games for over 55s kick off

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Not that she’s counting, but retired maths teacher Kim Benke from London has more than a few sports medals to her name.

Benke competes in women’s hockey and was part of an over-60 women’s team that won gold at the Canada Senior Games in British Columbia two years ago. She attended the Ontario Senior Games nine times and was also an early convert to pickleball, a racquet sport that quickly spread across North America.

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My husband Otto and I play together, she said of the sport she picked up in 2012.

It was great for us because we were able to connect with so many people and it really changed our perspective on retirement. We’ve been very active in sports ever since, said Benke, 67, who taught at HB Beal Middle School.

Benke is among more than 400 Londoners taking part in the London 55+ Summer Games which start in London on Tuesday and run until mid-June.

Forget the Summer Olympics, with all their hustle, pressure and crowds: these games, for people aged 55 and over, aim to keep active, fit and have fun, part of ‘a wider network of such competitions held in Ontario and the country. .

Winners at the local level, in summer and winter competitions, can move on to regional or provincial and national competitions.

The summer games schedule includes more than 20 sports and activities, with events for individual competitors from cycling, snooker, horseshoes and 18-hole miniature golf and for teams and pairs, in areas ranging from five-a-side bowling pine trees and grass to tennis. , pickleball and contract bridge.

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The organization of the London Senior Games (LSG), now also known as the London 55+ Games, wants to reach more than 100,000 Londoners in this age group to encourage them to take part. Senior was recently dropped from the organization’s name, said Benke, its district coordinator.

They are no longer so eager to call themselves seniors, he noted.

Anyone 55 years of age or older can participate. To join, you must register through the Ontario Senior Games Association, an umbrella group, at osga55plus.ca. There is a one-time registration fee of $15.

You still have to do something (after you retire) is my philosophy, and that’s what I live for, said Richard Klue, 84, of London, who will compete in five-pin bowling at the games.

Klue joined in 2023 and meets with his bowling team every Thursday to practice.

You meet a lot of different people, said Klue, who worked in construction before retiring. And they were just there to have fun.

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Jane Evans, a retired nurse, said participation in the games improves not only quality of life but fitness. He will participate in the pickleball competition.

“My husband and I went to the eye doctor and he asked us what to do because our eyes are very healthy for our age,” said the 82-year-old. We told him about the LSG, and he told us to leave information about it in the office. This is what keeps people mentally fit.

The summer games are held in various locations across the city, from Springbank Park and East Park to the North London Optimist Community Centre.

Anyone can come out and watch at no charge, Benke said.

It’s pretty low-key, he said. Spectators are welcome but rare. . . but he would be welcome everywhere.

bbaleiro@postmedia.com

ABOUT THE GAMES

• Offered annually in summer and winter, with over 30 one-day tournaments held in individual and team sports and social activities
• Date of 1985
• The games schedule is online at londonseniorgames.com

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