The Olympics4All held its 10th edition in Ponte da Barca, bringing together elderly people from various municipalities of Alto Minho in an event that combines sporting competition and socializing. It was the first time the initiative visited the municipality of Ponte da Barca, received with pride by the local population.
Among the participants was Maria Fernandes, 86 years old, from Melgaço and boccia practitioner. The elderly woman revealed she traded her crutches for sport thanks to physical activity, also highlighting that she practices swimming. "Participating in the Olympics really gives me a lot of health," she stated, also highlighting the unity of the Melgaço team during the competition days.
Participants from other municipalities also expressed their satisfaction. Artur Santos, 66 years old, from Arcos de Valdevez, argued that "we have to be active and we need to flee the couch." Vítor Pereira, 78 years old, from Viana do Castelo, emphasized that the event is "for all ages," highlighting the opportunity to practice sport and socialize.
Feliz Martins, from Ponte de Lima, participates since the first edition and helped form a delegation that already exceeds 30 members. The veteran of the initiative stated that "there are many people who only started doing physical exercise with the Olympics For All," considering it "a way for us to have active aging."
