By BOBBIE GREEN
The Progress
The Mesquite Senior Games (MSG) Track & Field event was held at Virgin Valley High School on Saturday, March 26 and brought nearly 100 athletes to the community.
The games began with a moving remembrance of former Mesquite resident Herb Calhoun, a long-time friend and mentor for the MSG organization who passed away last November. Calhoun worked tirelessly for the MSG and volunteered for many other community organizations. He was also commissioner of the senior softball team, the Mesquite Geezers.
The Geezer team and MSG board and his wife Maggie walked the track before the games began in honor of Herb. Maggie was presented with a bouquet and a white balloon which she released into the sky in a touching ceremony.
There were ninety-six competitors signed up to compete in the tournament. Coordinating the event was Gary Hartman, who has served as VVHS track coach for fourteen years. The meet took place on the school’s beautiful new track and field.
“I am more than happy to help with this event,” Coach Hartman said. “It’s a way for our staff to give back to the community”
VVHS Track athletes also volunteered to help and acted as timers for the foot races.
Liz Palmer from Las Vegas was coming to compete in the MSG meet for the first time. She is a competitor for power walking. Palmer took first place for her age group in the Women’s 400-meter race.
If her name sounds familiar it could be because Palmer is the current Ms. Senior Nevada for 2022. She came with a few friends from Henderson, all participated in the games.
“I do this to keep in shape, so I can fit into my gowns,” said Palmer.
The field of competitors were divided into 5-year age groups for each event. The meet featured running and power walks of various distances, a softball throw, high jump, long jump, standing jumps, pole vault, shotput, and javelin throw.
Gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded to the winners of each event from every age division.
Sprinter Ed Parr came from Ivins, Utah to compete in the days events. Parr competes in the 70-75 age group. He said that he began running at age 57.
“I started running 200 meters and found that was not for me,” Parr said. “I didn’t have enough air for distance. But I can sprint pretty good.”
“It is amazing how fast these old guys are,” Parr added. “Some might have beer bellies but they have strong legs and they are fast!”
Allen Jacobson from Sun City Mesquite, has been participating in the MSG since 2017. He is a runner and competes in the 1500 meter run and the 50-meter dash.
“Doing this is the “funnest” thing in the whole world,” he said.
Overton resident Mardon Connelly, who is 81, participated in the pole vaulting event on Saturday. He brought his son Gary with him who is 56 to compete also.
This father and son duo both medalled in their respective age divisions. Gary vaulted 9.5 feet. And despite having a knee surgery two years and not being able to run for the past 24 months, Mardon cleared 6 feet.
“I thought that I would be the only 80 year old there in the pole vault,” Mardon said. “But there were a couple of guys there that jump regularly at these kinds of events. So it was fun.”
Mardon was a star pole vaulter as a young athlete at Moapa Valley High School and held the state record at the time. After he graduated in 1959, he competed in pole vault at Utah State University and jumped the school’s first 16 foot vault in the 1960s.
Mardon said that the event was very well organized. “I have competed in a lot of these kinds of events and this was the best I have seen,” he said. “They had a lot of help. There were even high school track kids there to help at the pole vault. I thought it went really well.”
MSG Director Amy Bradshaw was pleased with the turnout for the day. She said that the track meet had brought a multi-state crowd to Mesquite.
“We have competitors from nine different states here today,” Bradshaw said. “It is gratifying to see all of the interest and participation in our Mesquite Senior Games.”
