The Colorado Senior Games took place June 6-8, 2025, in Colorado Springs, where athletes aged 50 and older competed in a variety of sports, including track and field events, pickleball, and bowling.
The oldest competitor in the track and field events was 90-year-old Christel Donley, who took part in the 50-meter dash, javelin throw, and triple jump. Donley served as the meet director for the senior games in Pasadena, California, for nearly 30 years.
"I don't know how many older people you have seen here, but yes, I think I beat everybody, age- wise," Donley boasted.
The first Colorado Senior Games were held in 1977 in Greeley and took place there annually, off and on, until 2018. This year marked the first time the games were hosted in Colorado Springs, also known as Olympic City USA, with events held at various locations throughout the city.
The event this year was organized and co-hosted by YMCA of the Pikes Peak Region and Colorado Springs Sports Corporation (CSSC). Marketing, Communications, and Public Relations Manager for CSSC, Lauren DeMarco, said they brought the games back after a hiatus of several years. "There was definitely a void and a need for this with this demographic and with these athletes and individuals," she said.
Dave Leighton of Parker, Colorado, made a return to the high jump after a 17-year break. Despite the long pause, Leighton finished second in his age group and third overall.
"I'm totally hooked back in. Like all the dudes that were jumping with me, they were just awesome dudes," Leighton said. "That camaraderie that I had forgotten existed in this sport instantly clicked back."
Not too far from the track, the sharp pop of pickleballs echoed through the indoor courts — unbothered by the sunny skies outside, the athletic action was all indoors at Springs Pickleball.
Brian Barkley with Pickleball is Great is the commissioner and tournament director for the Colorado Senior Games this year. He said a lot of indoor pickleball facilities are popping up all across the nation.
"It is the newest and latest and greatest thing playing indoors rather than playing outdoors. You don't have the sun, the wind, the rain," Barkley said. "You don't have weather delays, cancellations. (You're) almost guaranteed to always be playing."
The courts were packed with players ages 55 to 87 competing at various skill levels. 160 athletes participated in pickleball at the Colorado Senior Games, while 3,291 players are registered for pickleball at the upcoming National Senior Games.
Loretta and David Mertz from Colorado Springs, played mixed doubles in their first tournament together, earning gold medals after a slow start.
"We lost the first two and then we just started crushing it thereafter. We kind of got into our groove, so it was a blast," said David Mertz.
And that's the sentiment of pickleball: it is always fun.
"We're full-time retired, so we love pickleball. This is what we do. This and grandkids," said Loretta Mertz.
The couple won their gold medal after picking up the sport just a year ago, highlighting how quickly pickleball can be learned.
" People that have tennis, handball, ping pong experience, typically adapt to this a lot better. But for those that don't have those kinds of backgrounds, you can still take the beginning courses and just kind of go with it. Everybody's doing it, and it is so much fun," David Mertz said.
The oldest pickleball player was 87-year-old Arthur Anderson who won a gold medal on Friday.
From the track to the courts, the Colorado Senior Games proved that age is no obstacle to competition, camaraderie, or joy. Whether it was first-timers like David and Loretta Mertz finding their groove in mixed doubles, veteran athletes like Christel Donley still blazing down the track, or longtime competitors rediscovering their spark, the spirit of the games shone bright in Colorado Springs.
Some of those who competed in the Colorado Senior Games will go on to compete in the National Senior Games, which takes place in Des Moines, Iowa, from July 24 – August 4, 2025.
Copyright 2025 Rocky Mountain Community Radio. This story was shared via Rocky Mountain Community Radio, a network of public media stations in Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and New Mexico, including KSJD.
