AMARILLO (KAMR/KCIT) – On July 23rd, the 2021 Tokyo Olympic games will kickoff in Tokyo, Japan.

Every four years, all eyes shift to watch the world come together at the Olympic Games, and awhile this year’s action will be taking place overseas, the Amarillo Veterans Affairs has presented their honorable veterans and residents with a chance to compete in their own, local version of the Olympic Trials.

Lisa Miller, a Community Living Center Manager with Amarillo VA, stated, “We’ve been trying to think of some things that are relevant, and something that would improve their quality of life. Since it’s the Olympics, we thought this would be a perfect opportunity for the guys to participate in our own Olympics.”

Miller went on to explain that 2020 was a year of hardships, due to the pandemic, “particularly for the long term care residents, not just the veterans, but all long term care.”

Every other week, the Amarillo VA has been hosting stations for each of these friendly competitions. “We’ve done the shotput, just having them throw the ball. We’ve done target practice, where they actually have to throw things at the target. And we’ve done weightlifting.”

Miller explained that this has been a win-win for both the VA’s staff and competitors.

“It’s funny, because these veterans never lose their competitive edge.”

Miller shared that they are planning for one last round of competition next week, along with an awards ceremony in the near future.

For anyone who wants to follow along with the local games, photos and posts can be found on the Amarillo VA Health Care System’s Facebook page.