CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ten days really fly by when you’re having fun, and that sentiment was in the air at the farewell ceremony Sunday for the Pan-American Masters Games. Over 100 athletes representing dozens of countries gathered outside of the Huntington Convention Center in downtown Cleveland to celebrate not only their victories, but also the spirit of unity that the games inspired. The games are the flagship event of the International Masters Games Association, hosted this year by the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission.
Thousands of athletes, 30 years old and over, and spectators from around the world traveled to Cleveland for the multisport event. During the closing ceremony, a short video played showing highlights of some of the competitions, which covered 23 different sports like tennis, bowling, rowing, swimming, soccer, volleyball and more. “We are so grateful that you made the visit from all over the world, and we welcome you back always,” Cuyahoga County Executive Chris Ronayne said during the ceremony.
“You bring the world to us, and we learn from you. From the bottom of my heart thank you, we appreciate you.” David Gilbert, president and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Sports Commission and Destination Cleveland, also spoke and thanked the partners, volunteers and participants for helping to bring the event to life.
“It’s been an incredible 10 days. What people may not know is when you see an event taking place, it was years of planning and thousands of.