Senior Games Off To A Great Start - WTVM.com-Columbus, GA News Weather & Sports

Senior Games Off To A Great Start

It's day five of competition at the National Senior Games and by all accounts the city is serving as a great host.

"Very well organized and well put together...well participated in. This is really a great group of people," said Pat Patterson, a badminton competitor from Galveston, Texas.

"We'd always heard bad stories about Cleveland but we're really excited about being here," said basketball participant Pete Brown, from Dallas.

Badminton matches are underway at the Convention Center and they're narrowing down the basketball brackets at Public Hall. Athletes are loving the venues and the rest of what the city has to offer.

"I've taken advantage of one of Cleveland's greatest assets. I spent yesterday morning at The Clinic, getting a passing grade that would allow me to come here today and play," said Kent Douglass, who had heart surgery at The Cleveland Clinic three years ago.

With 11,000 athletes plus all their friends and family coming to Cleveland to watch them compete, more than 30,000 people are expected to make their way through our brand new convention center. And the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission hopes that is just the beginning.

"The badminton community is saying this is an ideal location. Now we're going to meet with USA badminton about hosting other national events in the facility," said David Gilbert, with the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission.

He says there's a lot riding on the impression we make on the sports world, and these athletes-turned-ambassadors for our city.

"We're glad to bring the word back to Texas that this looks like a great place to come visit," said Madeleine Baker, from Galveston.

"When you're our age, it's good to be anywhere," added Brown.