ST. GEORGE, Utah — A record number of athletes are competing at this month’s Huntsman World Senior Games in St. George for those ages 50 and older, and one of its most decorated competitors is well qualified to compete both in her age and in her ability.
Peg Moyer says her mom bowls pretty well.
"Her 169 beat all of us," Moyer said. "She was high that first game. They always say is this your sister? No that’s my mother!"
Peg’s mother is 101 years young.
Eva Sorensen of Alexandria, Virginia took the gold in bowling at the games earlier in the week, and on Thursday she added another in shuffleboard while competing against competitors half her age.
"She's tough," said 52-year-old athlete Mindy Case of Sorensen.
The 37th World Senior Games has a record 11,978 participants this year, and Sorensen is its oldest.
"I feel the same age. When I'm out with the girls, I feel like I'm one of them," she said.
Sorensen is in her 15th year competing in the Games. She doesn’t run the 50-yard dash anymore but she’s a top bowler and added shuffleboard after her daughter’s 67-year-old softball teammate, Linda Sholl, needed a doubles partner.
"We play cards and things together, sharp as a tack still," Sholl said of Sorensen. "I have trouble beating her in anything we play when we do play games."
Those around her say Eva’s smile is infectious, including her daughter Peg, who turns 78 next week.
"She makes friends easily," Peg shared. "I mean, military, growing up. We had to make friends all the time."
With their late lieutenant colonel husband and father, Eva and Peg traveled to all 50 states. They were stationed in Anchorage in 1964 when a 9.2 earthquake, the largest ever recorded in America, occurred.
"I wasn’t so old then. It was something that helped to be able to tell people
that are so worried about their family and let them know that they were okay. So that was important," Sorensen explained.
So with all the gold medals, when is it time for one of the top athletes of the senior games to hang them up?
"That's my secret to getting older," said Eva. "I'm not going to quit. I'm going to make 110 at least."
