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Knoxville's Pokemon GO! group hosted a 'Pokemon GOlympics'

Knoxville's Pokemon GO! Facebook group went out to World's Fair Park to catch them all.

Sunday afternoon, players got together for a "Pokémon GOlympics" in celebration of one year since the game first came out.

With more than 700 million downloads, Pokémon Go is still being played by many folks in the Knoxville area.

"A lot of these people have played since day one," Jeanne Griswold, a Pokémon Go player, said. "A lot of people, especially students, quit during the school year and have gotten back involved again."

More than 50 people came out to participate in the event. The weather was perfect for those wanting to get out with lots of sunshine.

"When the game first started, what you saw mostly were young men in their early 20s.They were out hanging out in Farragut Park or Fountain City Park," Griswold said. "Once everyone went back to school, the mothers, keeping the games up for the kids, there were all the sudden many moms and dads. It's turned out to be a kid's game but now a very much so adult-passion."

Griswold has been playing the game since it first came out a year ago. She says it's helped many people get out, socialize and make new friends.

"People that didn't get out, maybe they were introverts or suffered from depression or were sick, or maybe they just didn't make friends easily. Then you go out, you play your game by yourself, and then before you know it, somebody else is out there playing it with you saying 'What team are you on? What level are you? You want to play over here?' and before long you've got a whole bunch of friends that you never had before," Griswold said.

According to the Facebook group's event, everyone in attendance received a special badge as a token of appreciation.

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