TAMPA, Fla. — More than 1,400 veterans from across the country are in Tampa this week for the 40th National Veterans Golden Age Games, bringing together athletes aged 55 and older to compete in 21 sports ranging from basketball to table tennis.
The games promote health, wellness and adaptation — and for many competitors, they carry a meaning far deeper than winning.
Matthew Reed, a veteran who served in the Army for 34 years, is among those competing. Reed lost his vision after blast exposure during his service.
"When I returned from Afghanistan in 2007, about two years later, I noticed my left eye was going a little fuzzy. By 2011, it had gone legally blind. Then in 2018, the right eye caught up," Reed said.
Despite that, Reed stepped onto the competition floor for his first-ever deadlift attempt — a milestone in a year that also marks the first time powerlifting has been included in the games' four-decade history.
"I always been a bench presser, but as far as deadlifting, not so much," Reed said.
For Reed, the games have become about more than competition.
"It's given us older-time veterans, get off our seats, and our doing things like power-lifting and all the other sports you see around this arena," Reed said.
"I've met people from all around the country in the last two years. It's been amazing. It gives us something to look forward to every year," Reed said.
Christina Lafex, an official with the games, said the event creates an environment where veterans with varying physical abilities can compete on equal footing.
"Even if there is a level of physical disability, it's an even playing field. They compete against people with similar abilities," Lafex said.
Lafex said the camaraderie among competitors is a hallmark of the event.
"A lot of them have competed against each other for many years. There's a wonderful level of trash-talking that takes place. It adds a nice little element," Lafex said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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