Athletes gather in Greensboro for the USA Masters Games
By Joe Daniels, Sports Director / July 29, 2016
Athletes from Wisconsin enter the coliseum during the Parade of Athletes. Photo by Joe Daniels/ Carolina Peacemaker
It may not be the pomp and circumstance of the Rio Olympic Games, but this week Greensboro was the site of the USA Masters Games for adults. More than 2,500 athletes representing 40 states and a dozen countries traveled to the Gate City for the biennial sports festival for adults ages 20 to 80.
The games kicked off Thursday evening, July 21, and an opening ceremony was held Friday, July 22 at the Greensboro Coliseum. Briana Conner with WXII Channel 12 served as Mistress of Ceremonies for the games.
The Parade of Athletes featured Paperhand Puppet Intervention and ice skating performances by local athletes from the Summit Figure Skating Club. Musical performances were by The Barefoot Movement, a phenomenal example of traditional string band music and North Tower, one of the South’s leading beach music performers. Members of the North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University’s “Cold Steel” drumline performed during the parade.
Athletes competed in 24 sports at the Coliseum during the games.
Hill Carrow, CEO of the USA Masters Games, says the Gate City was a no-brainer for the event.
“Greensboro has an awesome array of facilities, number one,” said Carrow. “Number two, Greensboro is famous for its volunteer workforce and really supports these events and helps makes these successful.”
Carrow is also CEO of Sports & Properties, Inc., a sports and entertainment marketing firm in Raleigh. He hopes 2016 won’t be the last games in Greensboro.
The games will conclude in Greensboro on Sunday, July 31.
[nggallery id=25]
