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World Masters Athletics Championships

The World Masters Athletics Championships are the biennial championships for masters athletics events held under the auspices of World Masters Athletics, formerly called the World Association of Veteran Athletes, for athletes 35 years of age or older.[1][2]: 75 Masters athletes are divided into 5-year age groups.[3]: 35 

The outdoor championships began in Toronto, Canada on August 11, 1975 and have continued in odd numbered years. In July 2011, World Masters Athletics changed their constitution to hold Championships in even numbered years, starting in 2016. Perth, Western Australia was selected to hold the first even year meet.[4] Later Road Racing Championships called Non-Stadia Championships were added, starting in Birmingham, England August 29–30, 1992. Indoor championships (World Masters Athletics Indoor Championships, World Masters Athletics Championships Indoor, or WMACi) started at Sindelfingen, Germany, March 10–14, 2004.[5]

The 2020 edition was scheduled to take place at the York Lions Stadium and Varsity Stadium in Toronto, but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[6] World Masters Athletics attempted to postpone the competition to 2021, with Tampere serving as host, but again this was cancelled due to the ongoing pandemic. The event was rescheduled to 2022 in Tampere and make-up editions being held in annual succession in 2023 (Edmonton) and 2024 (Gothenburg).[7]

Athletes participating at these Championships consistently outnumber those at Olympic track and field events, making these "the world's largest track meet".[8][9]For example, The 4,951 participants at the 1989 Outdoor Championships dwarfed the 1,617 athletics competitors at the 1988 Olympics; the 1993 Outdoor Championships drew over 11,000 masters athletes. Four-time Olympic Champion Al Oerter called these Championships "more like the Olympics than the Olympics".[9]

An analysis of jumping and throwing events at the Championships from 1975 to 2016 showed that, as expected, performances usually declined with age, though overall performances improved across calendar years.[10]

Editions

Outdoor Championships

Official results are archived at the WMA site.[11]

Indoor Championships

Official results are archived at the WMA site.[12]

See also

References

  1. ^ "History of World Masters Athletics", World Masters Athletics
  2. ^ Kusy, Krzysztof; Zieliński, Jacek (January 2006). Parzy, Wiesława (ed.). Masters athletics. Social, biological and practical aspects of veterans sport. Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego w Poznaniu/Poznan University of Physical Education. ISBN 83-88923-69-2 – via ResearchGate.
  3. ^ Olson, Leonard T. (Nov 29, 2000). Masters Track and Field: A History. McFarland. ISBN 0786408898.
  4. ^ "Perth wins for 2016!", Perth 2016, Australian Masters Athletics Inc - Perth 2016 World Masters Athletics Championships, Western Australia
  5. ^ "WORLD MASTERS (VETERANS) INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS". Athletics Weekly.
  6. ^ "World Masters Athletics Championships 2020 Cancelled". Master Athlete. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  7. ^ World Masters Athletics Postpone Tampere 2021. New Zealand Masters Athletics (2020-12-23). Retrieved 2021-01-17.
  8. ^ "VII World Veterans Games Results" (PDF). Museum of Masters Track & Field. p. 2.
  9. ^ a b "Results of the VIII World Veterans' Championships" (PDF). Museum of Masters Track & Field. p. 3.
  10. ^ Kundert, Alexandra M. L.; Di Gangi, Stefania; Nikolaidis, Pantelis T.; Knechtle, Beat (14 Oct 2018). "Jumping and throwing performance in the World Masters' Athletic Championships 1975-2016". Research in Sports Medicine. 27 (3). Informa UK Limited: 374–411. doi:10.1080/15438627.2018.1528975. PMID 30318929. S2CID 205890435. Retrieved 2021-12-15.
  11. ^ "Championships Outdoor". World Masters Athletics. November 19, 2018. Retrieved 2021-12-24.
  12. ^ "Championships Indoor". World Masters Athletics. February 3, 2020. Retrieved 2021-12-24.

External links