Northern Virginia Senior Olympics Participation Hits All-Time High

The Northern Virginia Senior Olympics has its highest number of participants in this year's games.

Eight hundred athletes are expected to compete in this year's games, which kick off on Saturday. Athletes will participate in 40 events at 18 venues throughout Northern Virginia. Seven athletes from Mount Vernon will participate in various events, including bocce, track and field, and swimming.

“We have a 20 percent increase in overall participation with some events doubling in size, ” NVSO Committe Chairman Jack Hobbs said in a statement. “Last year 641 seniors participated and this year, by the time we count onsite registration, the numbers will easily reach 800.”

The following athletes from Mount Vernon will compete in the 2012 Northern Virgnia Senior Olympics:

• Carla Convery: bocce, bunco, discus, mini javelin, frisbee throw, softball hit, softball throw, yo-yo
• Charles Harris: Basketball field goals, 3x3 basketball, free throw
• Doug Hastings: high jump, discus, mini javelin, running long jump, standing long jump, shot put, swimming, track
• Joselyn Schmidt-Jones: team line dance
• James Spencer: duplicate bridge, high jump, running long jump, standing long jump, track
• Dorothy Swift: Scrabble, ten pin bowling
• Lawrence Walker: ten pin bowling

For more information, call 703-228-4721 or email nvso1982@gmail.com.