ST. GEORGE, Utah (KUTV) -- The 35th annual Huntsman World Senior Games is underway in St. George.
Athletes from 50 to 101 years old will compete in more than 40 sporting events across the two-week competition.
The competition kicked off on Tuesday night with an opening ceremony at the Ken Burns Stadium. The event featured speeches from the town mayor and county commissioner, a procession of the athletes, and performances from a local dance troupe and the Brigham Young University ballroom dance team.
Competitors of the games included former Olympians, professional athletes, and amateurs from over 30 countries.
Willie Spruil, a 67-year-old track athlete from North Carolina, joined the Huntsman Games after seeing a flyer at his doctor's office.
"I told my son, 'I want to do that,'" Spruil said. "My son looked at me like I was crazy, because I could barely walk. I had three weeks to prepare for it, and I started walking a bit each day."
That year, Spruil captured gold medals in all three of his competitions. Now, he runs over 25 track meets a year throughout the world.
According to a recent study from Northwestern Medicine, adults who live well into their 80s and beyond are not only physically active but highly social.
"Being with the other seniors helps relieve even more stress because we can relate to each other," Spruil said. "[We] tell each other our stories and try to help somebody along the way."
87-year-old athlete Kathy Harper Hall is in her 20th year of the games, competing with the track and field team from Barbados.
"I cannot train as I used to train before, but I still do for my health," Hall said. "I believe in active aging."
Two-time Olympian Marsha Mark Baird said she tries to improve on every one of her heptathalon events, even as she ages.
"The crazy thing is the shotput is the one I was weakest at in college and during the Olympics, and it's the strongest one I am today at age 51," she said.
While the games are a competition, Spruil says he focuses on beating his own record.
"I'm very grateful and very thankful to be able to do that and to try to inspire a few other people along the way as a lot have inspired me."
The games continue until Oct. 18. Additional festivities include a concert next Tuesday, two weekends of festivals, and a community fair this Saturday.
There will also be a community health screening for all participants open through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and again Oct. 14-16. Full details on these events are available here.