The opening ceremony for the biennial State Games of America capped a busy Friday and signaled the start of a hectic final two days around the greater Lynchburg area. Virginia Amateur Sports president Dan Foutz said around 11,000 athletes have either competed in events or are scheduled to compete from Monday through Sunday in the biennial State Games of America. The athletes range from age four (track & field) to 94 (figure skating). There are 46 sports being played at 44 different venues in the greater Lynchburg area, Roanoke and Christiansburg. Forty-nine of the 50 states are represented (North Dakota did not send any athletes), plus athletes from Washington, D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada, Spain, France and Mexico also are in attendance. The Commonwealth Games of Virginia has made a multiyear commitment to the Lynchburg area and lured the State Games for 2019. (from News and Advance reporting)