HAMLET — Richmond County athletes went for the gold at the recent N.C. Senior Games but came home decidedly silver.

Pat Clemmons, 57, was the county’s standout, winning six individual gold medals — not bad for a woman who didn’t start exercising until she retired five short years ago. Clemmons won either gold or silver in every event she entered.

“I got active in 2012, after I retired,” Clemmons said at a sendoff ceremony in September. “I had more time.” She began competition in 2013.

Winners at this year’s state games won’t go on to national competition — there won’t be any next year. But Clemmons and fellow shot putter and Ida Mae Malloy went to nationals earlier this year, after qualifying at state games in 2016.

At the national games earlier this year, she said then, “I’ve met some people I want to beat the next time.”

Forty athletes from senior centers in Hamlet, Ellerbe and Rockingham participated in the games in Raleigh throughout October. The state games comprise both the Senior Games and the Silver Arts competitions, so Richmond County sent dancers alongside its athletes.

Following are statewide winners from Richmond County:

Gold medalists

• Pat Clemmons: 200-meter dash, 1,500-meter race/walk, 5K race/walk, running long jump, shot put, standing long jump

• Line dancers Mary Baker, Daisy Brown, Elaine McLaurin, Luvenia Williams

Silver medalists

• Max Adrianse: bocce

• Pat Clemmons: 100-meter dash, 400-meter dash, 500-meter dash, discus throw

• Mike Deese: pickleball (single)

• Mike Deese and Boykin Stewart: tennis (doubles)

• Hazel and Neil Haygood: tennis (mixed doubles)

• Ida Mae Malloy: shot put, discus

Bronze medalists

• Ray Collins and Neil Haygood: bowling (doubles)

• Tom Fletcher: bowling (single)

The national Senior Games began in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1987 and have grown to a 19-sport, biennial competition for men and women 50 and older — the largest multisport event in the world for seniors.

Staff report