Alexandria is well-represented in the record-breaking 2026 Northern Virginia Senior Olympics.
A total of 1,356 residents ages 50-plus from across the local area are participating in 96 events across 34 locations during the 22 days of competition.
“Thank you for inspiring us all,” said Hashim Taylor, director of Alexandria’s Department of Recreation, Parks and Cultural Activities, during a Sept. 19 welcoming ceremony held in Arlington.
“We’re proud to support the Northern Virginia Senior Olympics,” said Taylor, saluting the “energy and determination” of competitors who this year range in age up to 101 years old.
Other parks and recreation leaders from across the region also were enthusiastic about the competition, which runs through Oct. 4. The total of 1,356 local residents registered was up from about 1,200 last year.
“This is amazing — so many people across our region are participating” in the 44th annual event, said Jane Rudolph, director of the Arlington Department of Parks and Recreation.
Organizers this year decided to have a ceremony midway through the competition, rather than at its start as in previous years. As has been the case in recent years, the Alexandria City High School Junior ROTC honor guard participated.
New for 2026 are darts and rock climbing competitions, with weightlifting brought back for the first time since 2022.
Mike Coleman, who chairs the Northern Virginia Senior Olympics organizing committee, praised the work of hundreds of volunteers to bring about the competition each year.
“We work year round,” he said.
Coleman jokingly compared the effort to sausage making.
“It is sometimes not pretty, but the result is often excellent,” he said.
The 2026 effort also benefited from a large number of sponsors providing the financial underpinnings of the competition.
“We very much appreciate their support,” Coleman said.
Taylor said competitors get much out of the competition on top of physical and mental fitness. The camaraderie involved keeps them active and engaged, he said.
“There is no age limit for staying active,” Taylor said.
While no one at the Sept. 19 ceremony had competed at the inaugural event in 1982, there were plenty with many years of experience under their belts.
“There are people who have been participating here for 30-plus years,” Rudolph said.
At the welcoming ceremony, Senior Olympics board member Don Tillson received the honor of carrying in the Olympic torch. In addition to the Alexandria City High School Junior ROTC Color Guard, the Arlingtones Barbershop Quartet also took part in the National Anthem that opened ceremonies.
Along with Alexandria and Arlington, participating jurisdictions include Fairfax, Fauquier, Loudoun and Prince William counties and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church.
