Iowa Games open in Ames

The 16th annual Iowa Games summer sports festival gets underway tonight with opening ceremonies at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames. Games executive director Jim Hallihan says it’s been a hectic time leading up to today.The torch run begins at 12:30 today in Des Moines, the “Finals Fest” is 4:30 the VIP reception is at 7:30 and opening ceremonies at 8. The opening ceremonies begin with the parade of athletes into the stadium.Soccer player Michelle Akers is the keynote speaker and there’ll be a torch lighting and then fireworks. It’s expected to be warm the next three days — which Hallihan says is par for the course.He says they’ve had 95-degree weather the seven years he’s been director, but he says it has been so hot, the athletes should be used to it. Hallihan says thousands will participate in the Olympic-style sports festival.He says the finals in Ames usually average 12-thousand athletes, and he says when you add in the athletes from districts and regionals, total participation hits fifteen- and 16-thousand. The games run today through Sunday.