Frances Amparano displays her many medals during the 2025 Senior Olympics. Photo by Nathaniel Lopez
It takes a lot of dedication and discipline to be an athlete, and to carry that beyond your younger years takes even more of it. A perfect example is Frances Amparano, 1966 San Manuel Alumni and athlete. In high school, Frances was an all around athlete, competing in Track & Field, Basketball, Volleyball, Tennis and Badminton. Staying active after high school, Frances would make sure to go for runs or bike rides, even when she was working as at the copper mine in Kearny or at the fire department. She also was an aerobics instructor.
After raising her three daughters, and helping with her grandkids, Frances returned to college to finish her RN degree, taking classes at Pima Community College and U of A. While at PCC, Frances made it onto the college track team, building a fanbase of spectators who couldn’t believe that she was 48 years old, competing so tenaciously against her younger opponents.
It was during a Track & Field meet that one of the officials informed her about the Senior Olympics, and that she would be eligible to compete in them when she turned 50. Once the time came, and Frances was 50, she began competing in the Arizona Senior Olympics. During her first year she brought home 5 gold medals, 2 silver, and a bronze medal, collecting more and more throughout the years.
“That’s my life, keeping in shape and training,” Frances commented, “In 2019, I made regionals, and I was going to go compete in Florida. I was so excited, but then with COVID, everything closed down. So, I hadn’t done the Senior Olympics since 2019.”
After surviving a heart attack, Frances continued to train to compete in the Senior Olympics once cleared by her doctor. In January she competed in this year’s Arizona Senior Olympics in Tucson, her first year back since her heart attack. She brought home 10 medals. She won seven golds and one silver in track & field, competing in shot put, javelin, running long jump, standing long jump, high jump, 50m run, and 100m dash. She won two silvers in swimming, doing freestyle and butterfly stroke. She is getting ready, and training for state, with hopes to make it to regionals in Iowa.
Frances takes pride in her athletic accomplishments, but takes more pride in her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Whether it’s inspiring them to follow in her athletic passion, or her dedication to education, she loves her family. Good luck at your next competition, Frances. You are an inspiring athlete!