GREELEY, Colorado, June 10, 2016 – The National Senior Games Association (NSGA) visited the Celebration of Athletes kick-off event for the 2016 Rocky Mountain Senior Games and recognized 60-year-old athlete Tom McAdam of Greenwood Village with a Personal Best Award. NSGA has been presenting the awards to a handful senior athletes each year who epitomize the positive qualities of fitness, perseverance and inspiration that can motivate others to pursue their own personal best lifestyle.
McAdam earned gold and silver swimming medals last year at the 2015 National Senior Games presented by Humana, but NSGA CEO Marc T. Riker explained that is not the focus of his Personal Best story. Riker told assembled athletes that McAdam got invol ved in Senior Games as a way to honor his 95-year-old father Bob McAdam, a retired fitness educator and National Masters Racquetball Association International Hall of Fame honoree.
“Tom then encouraged other family members to join in, and his brother in Minnesota did,” Riker explained. “Brian McAdam was able to reverse weight gain and the side effects from neck and back operations as a result of his swimming participation. Then Brian’s children were inspired and are also competitive swimmers now. You never know how your actions will positively impact others.”
An in-depth interview feature of McAdam, and of other Personal Best athlete honorees, can be found on the Personal Best page at www.NSGA.com. “This tour and recognition program is intended to send a message out to aging adults to ‘get in the game’ and enjoy an active, healthy lifestyle and the rewards it brings,” said Riker. “All senior athletes demonstrate that everyone can be their own personal best.”
“People sometimes tell me I look too young to be in Senior Games,” McAdam told the audience at the torch lighting event held outside of the Greeley Senior Center. “My answer to them is that I look younger because I am in Senior Games.”
The National Senior Games is the world’s largest multisport championship event for seniors and is held every two years, with athletes qualifying at member state games like the Rocky Mountain Senior Games, which are now in their 39th year. The 2017
National Senior Games presented by Humana will be held in Birmingham, Alabama from June 2-15. McAdam qualified for several swimming events at the Colorado games.
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ABOUT NSGA:
The National Senior Games Association (NSGA) is a nonprofit member of the United States Olympic Committee that promotes healt h and wellness for adults 50 and over through education, fitness and sport. NSGA governs the biennial National Senior Games an d sanctions 52 member organizations across the country and Canada that host Senior Games or Senior Olympics to provide seniors with quality sports activity. The 2017 National Senior Games presented by Humana will be June 2-15, 2017 in Birmingham, Alabama. Visit www.NSGA.com for more information.
PHOTO:
Senior athlete Tom McAdam (center) is congratulated for a national Personal Best Award by NSGA CEO Marc T. Riker (right) and Rocky Mountain Senior Games President (and current NSGA Board Vice Chair) Kate Amack.
