Darcy Emerson, 57, of Nobleboro, won gold in the women’s horseshoes in the 50 to 59 age division at the National Senior Games held in Saint Paul, Minn. July 3 to 16. Emerson was one of the top competitors on Saturday to qualify for the finals on Sunday. She beat all three opponents on Sunday to claim the national gold medal.
Emerson qualified for the national games by winning the competition at the Maine Senior Games last summer.
Emerson has competed in the Maine Senior Games for four years. In 2014 she won five events and took second in a sixth. She took state gold in the hot shot (66), foul shot (18), horseshoes, 50m dash (9.5), 100m dash (18.83), and shot put (30’9″) and second in the discus (68′). She qualified for nationals in the events, but did not compete because the track and field events were eight days apart after the horseshoe competition and because of sciatica in her back.
Emerson holds the state 55 to 59 record in the shot put at 31’6″ and in the 50m dash in 9.5 seconds. In 2012, she was ranked 12th in the U.S. in shot put; in 2013 she was ranked ninth in the U.S. in shot put and ranked 30th in the world.
Emerson became involved in senior games while coaching her father, Gene Reynolds. “He got me into it. While I was there with him, I said, ‘What the heck?’ and decided to compete,” Emerson said. Reynolds, 84, has competed for close to 20 years, and her mother, now deceased, competed in the long jump and sprint events well into her 70s, before getting hurt after tripping and falling.
Emerson said she “would encourage anyone to compete in the senior games. Even if you are not an athlete, there are so many events. It is incredible.”
She has watched women in their 80s and 90s compete. “It is hilarious. There is a 100-year-old guy who
throws the javelin. I watched a 96- year-old guy throw the horseshoes. Talk about competitive – his whole family plays, right down to his grandchildren,” Emerson said.
In two years, the National Senior Games will be held in Alabama. To qualify, athletes will have to compete in the 2016 Maine games. The national games are held every two years and the Maine games every year. This year’s Maine games are scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 1 at Scarborough High School.
Emerson hopes to play on a softball team at the National Senior Games in 2017. She hopes to either join a team or “try to pull some people together” and form a team. “What a blast,” Emerson said of watching a senior softball game.
