Geraldine Palisi

On March 18, 2023, at age 84, Geraldine Palisi competed in her first 5K bike race. It was icy that morning — sleeting where the race was held near Manshac, LA. Her daughter thought it a bad idea, but Ms. Palisi is a fierce competitor. She rode. And she won a gold medal.

She’s always been competitive, ever since she was a kid. But she didn’t start competing in the Senior Games until she was 75. And then she started bringing home medals. If she can schedule a game, she’ll play it. It’s not uncommon for her to walk away from a season of games with a dozen or more medals.

This year, the bike race got on her agenda when they canceled the foot race that she would have done. She didn’t realize it, but she’d been training for a bike race for decades – riding for an hour at a time, 3 to 4 times a week.

At age 85, Geraldine Palisi isn’t slowing down. She’s not ready for a rocking chair. She’s ready to get out and win – whether it be darts, baseball or a bicycle race. She’s a real inspiration, a true Peoples Health Champion.