Russian pensioners will compete with rivals from abroad in the final of the Spartakiad

The final of the jubilee "X Spartakiad of Russian Pensioners" will be held in Tyumen from September 30 to October 5. The main sports event for people of "silver age" will bring together more than 700 amateur athletes from all regions of Russia. Teams from Kazakhstan, Belarus, Finland and Australia will also take part in the competition.

According to Valery Ryazansky, Chairman of the Union of Pensioners of Russia, every year the Spartakiad attracts an increasing number of participants and brings new meanings and reasons for joy to their lives.

"We prepare as a team — first a warm-up for 20-30 minutes, then an hour of table tennis, and then everyone trains in their own sport. And so it is every day! This is my fifth Spartakiad," 78—year-old Stanislav Belets told the Tyumen news agency In Our Yard. — We have a very strong team, we take training and competitions seriously. We are determined."

Among the disciplines in which pensioners will compete are athletics, swimming, table tennis, volleyball and chess.

"The Spartakiad for people of retirement age unites those who are passionate about physical culture and sports, and also realize the importance of a healthy lifestyle based on their rich life path," said Mikhail Degtyarev, Minister of Sports of Russia. "After all, regular physical exercise and taking care of your health is a guarantee of maintaining vigor and vitality for many years to come."

The organizers of the final of the Spartakiad are the Ministry of Sports, the Union of Pensioners of Russia and the government of the Tyumen region.