Brooklyn —

The 2016 Brooklyn Senior Olympics kicked off with events ranging from swimming to shot put to ping-pong bouts.

State Senator Jesse Hamilton (D –Brooklyn) and St. John’s Seniors Organization President Joyce Bolden turned out to support the 40 seniors, who engaged in fierce competition at St. John’s Recreation Center in Crown Heights.

Bolden recently returned from winning her own gold medal in the Empire State Senior Olympic Games in Cortland, N.Y., and was inspired to start a similar event in Brooklyn. She and Hamilton huddled over the idea, and the Silver Kings and Queens Olympics were born.

A series of preliminary competitions will held at recreation centers each month leading up to the main, culminating event, set for May 11-13 in Brooklyn.