COLUMBIA — More than 4,000 miles away from the Olympic opening ceremonies in Paris, 12-year-old Aditya Zambre volleyed back a tennis ball to his opponent during a tennis match.
The event is just one of several in this year’s Show-Me State Games.
“What matters is I got better than I was last time, and now this last game, I played and I won,” Zambre said after his second match of the day. “I want to get my serve up and I want to get some of those harder shots.”
Zambre was one of an estimated 20,000 athletes to compete across 40 sports in the 2024 games, which take place during the course of three weekends in the summer.
The Show-Me State Games are meant to give amateur athletes of all ages an opportunity to compete in their chosen sport ranging from archery to baseball to gymnastics to softball to wrestling.
Despite having hosted the games for 40 years, this year is unique in that the last weekend of the Show-Me State Games this year is taking place during the opening ceremonies of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“The Show-Me State Games were founded on Olympic principles,” said Bruce Ungles, Executive Director of the games. “We kind of adapted the fitness, family and fun philosophy, we give medals for first, second and third in all of our events. We try to keep it an Olympic festival type where we have multiple sports going on all at the same time.”
Driving around town, those who go see the Show-Me State Games can go see judo competitions, fencing matches or other sports that many don’t see all the time, Ungles said.
“We run on that same philosophy,” he said. “It’s kind of a coincidence. Usually, the Olympics happen a little bit later, they’re usually the first of August, but our games kind of roll into the first weekend of the Olympics this year.”
The Show-Me State Games were established in 1984 with 600 amateur athletes in an effort to encourage physical fitness and promote good health among residents of Missouri, according to the games’ website.
After 40 years, the games grew in size to become the biggest state games in the country. Events have been added over the years to make competitions year-round, with the 3v3 soccer fest in November, “Hoopin’ It Up” basketball tournaments scheduled in January, February and March, the Senior Games scheduled for June and an MU Pumpkin Fun Run in October.
The opportunity the Show-Me Games give to young athletes allows them to get better at their sport, one parent said of the games.
“He has been a confident player always,” said Duhita Zambre, Aditya’s mother, who looked on during his tennis match. “The sporting spirit that everyone carries is awesome. It’s very nice to see how they encourage each other and play with each other and how they continue the sporting spirit.”
Zambre, who has only played tennis for about a year, said he’s excited about U.S. tennis star Coco Gauff representing the U.S. as one of two Olympic flagbearers (the other is basketball great LeBron James), and excited to watch Olympic athletes play tennis in the games this year.
“I feel really patriotic and happy about that,” Zambre said. “I want everybody to go and play their best game.”
