Karpoš pensioners took shots on goal, threw the shot put and ran sprints for the municipality's 50th birthday

Yesterday the pensioners of Karpoš were not sitting on a park bench. At the "Partizan" sports hall they took shots on goal, threw the shot put, did the long jump and ran sprints. The traditional pensioners' sports games were this time part of the celebrations marking 50 years since the Municipality of Karpoš, in Skopje, was founded.

The competitors were members of the municipality's two pensioners' associations, "Karpoš" and "Taftalidže". Women ran 60 metres, men 80, and shooting on goal and the shot put had categories for both. At the end the best got trophies, and everyone got a celebratory cocktail reception.

Mayor Sotir Lukrovski and Council president Hristo Sarakinov came along to cheer them on. "Today age doesn't matter, what matters is the will to socialise, to move and to keep the competitive spirit alive," Lukrovski said, adding that as far as he was concerned every participant was a winner.

This is news without politics: people in their golden years competing for a trophy and a few laughs with the neighbours. If a municipality wants to show it actually cares about its older residents, games like these are worth more than any speech.