Olympics fever is well and truly alive at Tamworth Gardens.
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Coinciding with the Paris games, the retirement village is holding its own 'Olympics Games'.
Featuring a range of events, from mahjong and scrabble to tenpin bowling, carpet bowls, kelly pool, mini golf, bean bag football, cornbag curling, basketball bullseye, archery and axe throwing, the games were officially opened on Friday, July 26.
After a torch relay around the complex, Max Bianco and Clare Woldon then lit the cauldron to signal the start of the festivities, which began with cake.
Organised by Sandra Porter and Helena Smith, the 'games' will run through until August 9.
"It's just something fun for the residents," Ms Porter, who is a care attendant at the facility, said.
Among the sea of green and gold, Robyn Perry stood out in her blue jacket and t-shirt, souvenirs from working as a volunteer at the Sydney 2000 Paralympics.
"It was fantastic," she reflected.
"It takes so much guts to do what the Paralympians do and they don't get as much reward as they should."
Working in the policing area, she was part of the security team at the athletes' gate for the swimming.
Swimming was a popular answer among the residents for what sports they were most excited about watching in Paris.
Ros Blythe was looking forward to watching the Matilda's and is "hoping they'll come good" after their 3-nil loss overnight on Thursday to Germany.
"I like watching Jess Fox, and the hockey should be good.
"Also the tennis, and the swimming of course because [daughter] Kim (Scott) was a swimmer," she said.
These days more known locally for her golfing exploits, Kim was a pretty handy swimmer, qualifying to compete at the Australian Championships.
Ros too was a swimmer in her younger days in Newcastle. She also loved to surf and told of how she and another resident, Gwen Bowden, discovered when they moved in that they both used to surf at Nobby's Beach.
As for the residents' Olympics, she has nominated for a number of the events and may have been quietly doing a bit of practising.
