Some adults might consider their athletic careers over after their 20’s or 30’s, but Edward Therrien of Pittsfield is still competing as a Special Olympics Massachusetts athlete at the age of 80. Born May 23, 1938, Ed is the oldest athlete on the Berkshire County ARC (BCARC) Titans team and held the title of oldest competitor at the annual Special Olympics Massachusetts Senior Sports Classic on October 13 in Hyannis.

Ed and his teammates joined over 150 athletes from across the state last weekend to participate in the annual event, held at Barnstable High School. The Senior Sports Classic is an event specifically designed for athletes over the age of 40, with low impact sports including race walking, cornhole, golf skills and bocce. Ed planned to compete in 50m race walking and golf skills, but due to rain, only competed in golf skills.

This year, the Special Olympics movement is celebrating its 50^th Anniversary, and Ed has been a part of the movement for nearly all 50 years. Chris Ferrari, a coach with the BCARC team since 1999, doesn’t know the exact number of years Ed has been a part of Special Olympics, but has found pictures of him competing in his 30’s or 40’s. In his years as an athlete, Ed has mostly competed in Track and Field events and Bowling, and has attended regional and state level competitions regularly. He also held the title of oldest athlete at the Senior Sports Classic last year at the age of 79.