A photo grid of five senior athletes.

Meet the Iowa Athletes Carrying the Torch

As host of the 2025 National Senior Games presented by Humana, Iowans have the honor to carry the flame for the cauldron lighting at the Flame Arrival Ceremony July 25 at the Iowa State Capitol. The featured athlete to light the cauldron will be 91-year-old Carroll Marty of Ames, who has been competing in the

Mandy Owens, a competitor in the 2025 National Senior Games, smiles while being interviewed.

Early Birds Line Up to Check In for The Games

Mandy Owens, a 58-year-old Power Walk competitor, arrived more than two hours before check-in began at the 2025 National Senior Games presented by Humana. Half an hour before the doors to the Athlete Village opened, the RecPlex was bustling with activity, and the line to check into the National Senior Games was quickly growing. At

The media team stands in front of a large window decal of the 2025 National Senior Games logo.

2025 Media Team Combines Staff Experience with Intern Enthusiasm

Meet the team sharing the National Senior Games with you and the world! Talented college interns join the NSGA team for every National Senior Games to help us tell the stories of our incredible athletes. These budding communicators gain valuable experience working in a fast-paced environment with daily deadlines. They always come through! Three intern

2025 National Senior Games and NSGA logos.

National Senior Games Begin July 24 in Des Moines, Iowa

Still in It to Win It: National Senior Games Begin July 24 in Des Moines, Iowa Over 12,500 athletes ages 50-100+ are registered to compete DES MOINES, IA – The stage is set for the 2025 National Senior Games presented by Humana to be the second largest in the event’s history and to showcase a

Two softball players fist bump as they pass each other on a field.

Sharpen Your Competitive Edge with Mindfulness

By Andrew Walker, MPH; NSGA Director of Health & Well-Being To compete well at the 2025 National Senior Games presented by Humana, you need to be both physically and mentally prepared. With The Games starting July 24, your foundational training phase should ideally be complete, and you may be aiming for a personal record. But

From “Misfit Farm Kid” to Super Senior Athlete

By Del Moon, NSGA Storyteller Don Phillips, 94 Sioux Falls, South Dakota Some people assume that most National Senior Games competitors are lifelong athletes. In reality, we estimate that over half of Senior Games athletes either returned to a sport or took up new ones in midlife, and some discover hidden abilities as they progress.

Seven people stand together smiling in front of a movie screen.

2025 Games Athlete and Community Well-Being Programs

By Andrew Walker, MPH; NSGA Director of Health & Well-Being Health and well-being resources for athletes and the broader community will be available throughout the 2025 National Senior Games presented by Humana. Key highlights include the Sustained Athlete Fitness Exam (SAFE), Optimal Aging Day in Iowa health exchange, a tai chi skill-building workshop for athletes

Faith O'Reilly deadlifts at a USA Powerlifting meet.

Lifting and Loving Life

June 2025 Athlete of the Month By Del Moon, NSGA Storyteller Faith O’Reilly, 82 Saguache, Colorado Look anywhere online and you’ll see Powerlifting is having a moment. Older women who powerlift have particularly captured the spotlight. Catherine Kuehn, 95, inspired the “Strong Grandma” documentary, and one Instagram video promoting the film racked up over 11

A National Senior Games athlete wearing goggles mid-stroke during a freestyle swimming race.

Get in the Senior Games and Flip the Script on Aging

By Andrew Walker, MPH; NSGA Director of Health & Well-Being May is Older Americans Month, and this year’s theme, “Flip the Script on Aging,” is the perfect way to describe what happens every time an athlete steps onto the field, track or court at the National Senior Games. Whether you’re sprinting, swimming or volunteering, you

Dr. Rajeev Trehan stands in an indoor gym space. He is holding a badminton racket and shuttlecock while smiling at the camera.

Mind Over Racket

May 2025 Athlete of the Month By Del Moon, NSGA Storyteller Dr. Rajeev Trehan, 70 Lawrence, Kansas Dr. Rajeev Trehan has a secret weapon he uses to defeat opponents in badminton, and it’s not because he was born in India, where the sport originated. It’s not because he has played most of his life. What