Powder Springs 68-year-young great grandmother, track and field athlete, to compete in National Senior Games

Loretta Turner, a Powder Springs resident and a 68-year-young track and field athlete will compete in the 2023 National Senior Games that will be held in July in Pittsburgh, PA. The Games, presented by Humana, will be from July 7-18.

Turner was also selected as a Humana Game Changer – a national recognition of an athlete who exemplifies healthy aging and provides encouragement, motivation and inspiration for all seniors to live healthy lifestyles.

Turner, who has always had a dream of competing in the Olympics, is excited to finally have the opportunity to compete on the national stage at the National Senior Games. In 1972, she was training for the Olympics when she became pregnant and could not compete. Next month, Turner will get the chance to compete in the 50- and 100-meter sprints.

A matriarch to 13 children, 40 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren, Turner found herself diagnosed with Crohn’s disease during late adulthood. She had to learn how to pursue her athletic pursuits while dealing with her condition and the related flare ups that it causes.

Turner’s mission is to inspire others, especially her family and fellow seniors, to be active.