2009 Summer National Senior Games Send-Off Tour to Stop in Cleveland, Host City for 2013 Games

LOUISVILLE, Ky.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The send-off tour for the 2009 Summer National Senior Games, presented by Humana, will stop in Cleveland today. The biennial games, the largest multi-sport event in the world for seniors, will be held Aug. 1-15 in Palo Alto, Calif.

“At the gym a young woman came up to me and said ‘I can’t believe you’re that old. I am going to have to tell my dad to take notice,’”

The send-off will take place at 11:30 a.m. at the Tower City Center’s Grand Staircase on Skyline Concourse, 230 W Huron Road, Cleveland. Speakers will include Humana Eastern Region Vice President Kevin Meriwether and David Gilbert, representing the National Senior Games, as well as a number of athletes.

Cleveland will host the National Senior Games in 2013.

More than 10,000 athletes ages 50 and above, including more than 350 from Ohio, will compete in the 2009 Summer National Senior Games, which emphasize vitality at all ages. The athletes will compete in more than 800 events over 15 days in sports including: track and field, swimming, volleyball, triathlon, golf and many more.

Among them is 63-year-old John Sanders of Lakeland, Ohio, who will be competing in track and field. The former health teacher has won seven medals in his three previous National Senior Games appearances. Despite this success, Sanders rededicated himself to the Senior Games, which are for athletes ages 50 and above. A three-sport letterman in high school who played collegiate baseball and received multiple offers from Major League Baseball teams, Sanders has always been a fierce competitor. “I have seen guys at the Games that I can dust and I haven’t done so,” said Sanders. “I don’t want to make excuses anymore.”

Sanders’ transformation began with the purchase of a yogurt maker, the installation of a water filtration system and the growing of an herb garden. The results have been staggering. Since February, the 5-foot-7-inch Sanders has lost 50 pounds, shrinking from 230 to 180. He now feels healthier and more alive than ever, has greater mobility and recovers from his workouts a lot faster than in the past. Sanders noted that his blood pressure has dropped and he has avoided diseases that affect many people his age, like Type 2 Diabetes. Sanders’ results have made him a sort of inspiration to others. “At the gym a young woman came up to me and said ‘I can’t believe you’re that old. I am going to have to tell my dad to take notice,’” said Sanders.

Joining Sanders in Palo Alto and competing in his second Games will be Al Fess, 64, of Berea, Ohio. A former photographer, Fess has battled back from several knee surgeries and shed almost 50 pounds to get back in form. The desire to play volleyball gives Fess the goal of eating better every day and staying fit. “I get excited about playing volleyball and I enjoy the camaraderie,” said Fess. “It’s great to get together with people my own age and compete. You do the best you can. The idea of getting out there and participating keeps me moving.”

“Athletes like John and Al serve as role models when it comes to healthy aging,” said Kevin Meriwether, president for Humana senior products in the eastern region. “We know even modest exercise results in improvements in blood pressure, diabetes, lipid profile, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis and brain function. Still, it can be difficult to get started. The National Senior Games makes it fun through healthy competition.”

The first send-off event was held last week in Louisville, Ky. Additional events are scheduled in Houston, Denver and Las Vegas. For more information on the send-off tour and tips on how to get and stay fit over 50, visit www.humana.com/seniorgames or www.nsga.com.

About Humana

Humana Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Ky., is one of the nation’s largest publicly traded health and supplemental benefits companies, with approximately 10.4 million medical members. Humana is a full-service benefits solutions company, offering a wide array of health and supplementary benefit plans for employer groups, government programs and individuals.

Over its 48-year history, Humana has consistently seized opportunities to meet changing customer needs. Today, the company is a leader in consumer engagement, providing guidance that leads to lower costs and a better health plan experience throughout its diversified customer portfolio.

About National Senior Games Association

The National Senior Games Association is a non-profit member of the United States Olympic Committee dedicated to motivating senior men and women to lead a healthy lifestyle through the senior games movement.

The organization governs the Summer National Senior Games, the largest multi-sport event in the world for seniors, and other national senior athletic events. It is an umbrella for member state organizations across the United States that host State Senior Games or Senior Olympics. The NSGA supports and sanctions these member state organizations so that adults can participate in their state in events year-round. www.nsga.com.