NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) -
While the Summer Olympic Games in London are just a week away, the Tennessee Senior Olympics have already begun. It's not necessarily a fierce fight for the gold medal, but it's fun.
Athletic skills slowly slide away as you get older, but the competitive spirit and attitude hang on. That was obvious this week as the seniors competed at a bowling alley in Franklin.
Valerie Meador had some wondering if the London Olympics arrived early.
"I tell everybody I'm from Texas, but I'm from across the creek in London," Meador said.
She's 75 years old with an accent and an attitude for competition. The grandkids probably can't keep up with her.
"It's the young ones that are old, not us," she said.
At the bowling alley, they're all having a ball despite the occasional back braces, hearing aids and arthritis medicine.
Gray hair means experience, and it shows.
While medals are up for grabs, it's not the scoreboard that matters most. For these Olympians, camaraderie means more.
But the results do matter. The top finishers in the more than 20 events at the Tennessee Senior Olympics qualify for the 2013 National Senior Games in Cleveland.
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