The Spartakiad among veterans of war, labor, armed forces and law enforcement agencies was held over two days. On the first day there were chess and checkers tournaments. On the second day, 95 athletes competed in three disciplines – shooting, darts, and table tennis.
This time the competition was dedicated to the Day of the Elderly. Women over 50 years of age and men over 55 years of age participated. Eight teams of five people each took part in the Spartakiad; as usual, athletes without a team could also compete in the individual competition.
— We gather for such sporting events three times a year. I am very pleased that this time three rural teams are participating – athletes from Krasnoye, Telviski and Oksino came. In addition to teams, there is a single championship, where everyone can take part in any sport,” noted Tatyana Orlova, chairman of the district Council of War and Labor Veterans.
Photo: Ekaterina Ester/nao24.ru
According to the results of the competitive days, the team from the village of Oksino took first place, the residents of Krasnov took second place, and the third place was won by members of the team from the Zakhrebetny microdistrict.
Residents of Oksino are participating in the Spartakiad for the second time. Team representative Lyudmila Khozyainova says that today sports among pensioners is actively developing in the Pustozersky village council.
Photo: Ekaterina Ester/nao24.ru
— When the village is small (currently about 250 people live in Oksino), people try to live actively – they participate in the sports and cultural life of the village. For example, not so long ago we had Village Day, and the Maremyanin trail was opened. All those who take part in this sports day, they all participated in these events. That is, all participants are activists. In January we have our own sports and athletics competition for pensioners, where a large number of people take part. We invite pensioners from Hongurei and go there, where we also hold competitions. This year we plan to connect Kamenka,” shares Lyudmila Khozyainova.
Athletes from Krasny, like last year, won silver. Finding themselves one step away from the coveted gold, the participants did not give up; they only became more motivated to move forward.
Photo: Ekaterina Ester/nao24.ru
— There is a sports complex in Krasnoye, we have a separate health group for pensioners and the disabled. We do shooting, darts, board games there, we actively play volleyball, we are all busy five days a week. In our team, everyone is involved in sports and creativity – Krasnovchan girls sing in the choir, there are needlewomen and craftswomen. This is the second time we have taken part in a sports competition with this team. Next time we hope only for first place, only forward,” share the members of the Red team.
Maria Sheveleva from the Experimental Production Enterprise team is preparing to take the darts discipline. This is the second time he is participating in the Olympics. The woman worked in the cooperative agricultural enterprise for 12 years, but the native of the village of Indiga worked everywhere – on a farm, in the Harp agricultural production company, and in the police.
— I studied to be a projectionist. Then she got married and went to the village of Kuyu, where she worked on a farm until it was closed. Afterwards, she worked at the public industrial enterprise for 12 years, before that at Kharp. When I retired, I worked part-time as a janitor at the Ministry of Internal Affairs,” Maria Sheveleva shares with NAO24.
Photo: Ekaterina Ester/nao24.ru
Now the pensioner is engaged in race walking and lives an active life.
— Such events are, first of all, a time for communication. It’s better than staying at home. And so I have been doing race walking for two years. “I go to exhibitions, solve crosswords, and read,” says a competition participant.
The oldest participant in the Spartakiad is 83 years old, Galina Khabarova. She worked most of her life at a timber mill in various workshops, and was a postman, a watchman and a janitor at a school. Galina Khabarova’s total work experience is 50 years.
— Now that I’m retired, I read magazines, books, go to the bathhouse, and attend various events. She was born in Andeg, studied there until the 9th grade. After 9th grade I immediately went to work. Dad was elderly, it was difficult for him to work, my younger brother and I began to help,” the woman says about her life path.
Photo: Ekaterina Ester/nao24.ru
She remembers with fond nostalgia the years when there were dances three times a week, and how hard it was to work.
— Before, when I worked at the sawmill, I went to dances, that was a long time ago. Back then, sea ships carried timber abroad. And so, on Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday we had dances. The sawmill worked around the clock, I worked at the sawmill, I worked in shifts. The first shift was from 8 am to 4 pm, the second from 4 pm to 12 am, the third from 12 am to 8 am. And so we changed every week,” said Galina Khabarova.
See how the sporting event went in the photo report by Ekaterina Esther.