DUBUQUE, Iowa – The 2026 Winter Iowa Games presented by Grinnell Mutual will hold competitions in Dubuque this weekend. Among the athletes competing is Pete Kennedy, a 90-year-old swimmer from Iowa City.
While this will be Kennedy’s first Winter Iowa Games, he is no stranger to swimming — a sport he has embraced his entire life and continues to love.
Kennedy began swimming at a young age. “I wanted to learn how to ride the ocean waves, so I learned to swim,” he said. His passion carried him through high school and into collegiate competition at Niagara University.
After graduating, Kennedy dedicated his career to coaching, leading both high school and college swim teams. He later expanded his impact by opening a swim school in Iowa City, where he helped generations of swimmers develop their skills and confidence in the water.
As the Winter Games approach, Kennedy is eager to return to competition. Despite this being his first appearance at the event, he prepares by swimming daily. “I just get in the pool and start swimming laps,” Kennedy said. Even after decades in the sport, his passion for swimming remains as strong as ever.
Kennedy is scheduled to swim the 100 freestyle, 500 freestyle, 50 backstroke, and 200 backstroke on Saturday, as well as the 50 freestyle, 200 freestyle, 1,000 freestyle, and 100 backstroke on Sunday.
In addition to swimming on Saturday and Sunday at Dubuque Hempstead High School Natatorium, competitions will also be held in the following sports:
Alpine Ski Racing, Sundown Mountain (Dubuque) – Saturday, January 31
Jeff Ransom Indoor Soccer Classic, Five Flags (Dubuque) – Saturday, January 31-Sunday, February 1
Martial Arts, Peosta Community Centre (Peosta) – Saturday, January 31
Pickleball, University of Dubuque CRWC (Dubuque) – Saturday, January 31-Sunday, February 1
Volleyball, Roosevelt Middle School – Saturday, January 31-Sunday, February 1
Volleyball, Stoltz Gymnasium University of Dubuque – Sunday, February 1
The Winter Iowa Games this weekend will host 1,200 athletes in Dubuque. For more information and complete schedules for all the sports, visit www.iowagames.org.