Gladys Mixon and Carol Waddell have been friends since they were about 16 years old and while they’ve certain had their share of adventures together it’s been in the last 10 years that they’ve taken on a new challenge.
They’re certainly not ones to brag. But why not brag just a little bit when you’re still winning Olympic medals in your 70s?
Each year, Gladys and Carol compete with and against each other in the Georgia Golden Olympics in Warner Robins. They recently returned from those games with an impressive collection of hardware between them. The Games are a statewide event open to adults 50 and older. They offer a range of activities that encourage senior adults to stay active and participate regardless of age or physical ability.
Both women live in Rome and have been competing at the Golden Olympics since 2015. Gladys has been to the National Senior Olympics four times.
Credit: Courtesy of Gladys Mixon
Credit: Courtesy of Gladys Mixon
“Those are held every other year in different cities,” Mixon said. “We usually practice a lot, so it helps keep me active. I enjoy competing and I love meeting new people and seeing old friends every year.”
She’s been to nationals in Birmingham, Albuquerque, Ft. Lauderdale and Pittsburg. Next year’s nationals will take place in Des Moines, Iowa. Gladys will be there.
“It’s a chance to go places I probably would never get to visit,” she said.
This summer in Warner Robins, Gladys brought home the gold in shuffleboard doubles, bronze in the discus, silver in badminton singles, gold in badminton doubles and silver in cornhole. Carol won gold in the hammer throw, three silver medals in discus, shot put, and javelin and a bronze medal in cornhole.
“I’m really proud of Gladys for beating me in the cornhole event to win the silver,” Carol said. “Sometimes we have to compete against each other and that’s OK.”
The Games help maintain and improve health and wellness as well as promote interest in sports, recreation and physical activity. It’s also a social outlet for participants.
Events include swimming, disc golf, billiards, archery, tennis, bowling, golf, horseshoes, racewalking, pickleball, shuffleboard and badminton.
“The main thing I love about The Games is meeting new people from all over,” Carol said. “You have your events that you compete in but between events, you can sit and talk to the other athletes, get to know them and before long you’ve got new friends from all over.”
The Games even put on a parade of athletes and a torch-lighting ceremony. They sing the national anthem and recite the Olympic oath, giving athletes a taste of what it might be like to compete on the world’s biggest athletic stage, the Olympic Games.
Credit: Courtesy of Gladys Mixon
Credit: Courtesy of Gladys Mixon
Gladys and Carol encouraged any older adult to consider participating in the Golden Olympics. Even if it’s just a single event and they’ve never been athletic before.
“I’ve never considered myself an athlete, but the first year I did it, I just found something that I could do, walking and shuffleboard,” Gladys said. “There are probably as many people who don’t consider themselves athletes as there are real athletes. Pickleball is the biggest event that we have now and I didn’t think some who play pickleball ever considered themselves athletes until they started playing it. Just try.”
Gladys said she used to play basketball and softball but that was in the 7th through 12th grades.
“You certainly don’t have to be an athlete to participate,” she said. “There’s an event for everyone. Even if you’re not able to run or jump, you can participate in an event such as cornhole. You stand there and throw a bag. It doesn’t involve much athleticism but you’re still being active and you’re surrounded by people who might be participating for the very first time and they’re in their 60s, 70s and 80s.”
Carol’s favorite event is the hammer throw because it’s “dangerous.”
“I have to swing the hammer around and around and I have to spin my body around and around,” she said. “And when you let go you just hope it lands where it’s supposed to.”
And if the title of Olympic medalist wasn’t impressive enough, Carol and Gladys both happen to be breast cancer survivors. So they know a thing or two about bravery and strength and perseverance.
“Gladys was instrumental in encouraging me to walk every single day when I was undergoing treatment for cancer,” Carol said. “So we’ve been through a lot together. And whatever we have to pay for the Olympics, whether it’s travel costs or registration, we pay that ourselves. We enjoy it so much.”
The next Georgia Golden Olympics will take place in Warner Robins next summer, and both Gladys and Carol plan to be there going for the gold.
“Our goal is to place in the top three in all the events we compete in,” Carol said. “It doesn’t always happen but when it does it gives you that encouragement to keep working and keep trying and being involved.”
For additional information or to sign up to compete in the Georgia Golden Olympics, visit online at georgiagoldenolympics.org or call 770-897-3603.
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