For senior athlete Hannah Ashworth, of Parthenon, the reward of competing in track and field events at her age is just being able to participate. At the age of 82 she competed at the 2024 Arkansas Senior Olympics track and field events held last April 27 in Fayetteville. She came home with four medals in her age classification. Two are gold for the 100 meter and 50 meter running events and two are silver for the 200 meter and 400 meter running events.
UAMS Health Orthopaedics & Sport Medicine is the 2024 presenting sponsor of the olympics. Its mission is: To promote fitness, good health and education through competitive athletics designed for adults 40 years of age and older. To act as the sanctioned site for qualification of the National Senior Games Association – The Senior Olympics. To establish a statewide network of senior games, alternative sports competition and clinics at the local and state level. To recognize outstanding older athletic performance and maintain records achieved by senior Arkansas Competitors. To serve as a center for information on senior sports activities throughout the state of Arkansas and to be an advocate for Senior Adults.
Ashworth said she encourages seniors to keep physically fit, work out at the Newton County Senior Activity and Wellness Center in Jasper and sign up to participate in the Area Agency on Aging of Northwest Arkansas Senior Games. The outdoor events were held recently at facilities at the Harrison High School.
Ashworth said she is catching her breath momentarily. She has already qualified for the national games set for next year in DesMoines, Iowa. She said she will continue to train, but isn't certain now that she will attend and compete. She will be 83 in October.
Her next milestone is coming up. Not on the track, but in the literary world. She is looking forward to the release of her autobiography in August. Using her full name, Cecille Hannah Bordato Ashworth, the book chronicles her life beginning in Jamaica and the influence and support she received from her family.
She hopes her story will inspire others to overcome obstacles and succeed in their ambitions in life.
She said she was able to celebrate with her family last year during senior games held in Florida.
