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.
Masters athletes are divided into 5-year age groups.
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, Australia, was selected to hold the first even year meet. 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.
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. 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).World Masters Athletics Postpone Tampere 2021. New Zealand Masters Athletics (2020-12-23). Retrieved 2021-01-17.
Athletes participating at these Championships consistently outnumber those at Olympic track and field events, making these "the world's largest track meet".
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".
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.
Editions Outdoor Championships Official results are archived at the WMA site.
EditionYearCityCountryVenueDates11975 Toronto Centennial Park Stadium 11-16 August21977 Gothenburg Slottsskogsvallen 8-13 August31979 Hanover Niedersachsenstadion 27 July-2 August41981 Christchurch Queen Elizabeth II Park 7-14 January51983 San Juan Estadio Sixto Escobar 23-30 September61985 Rome Stadio Olimpico 22-30 July71987 Melbourne Olympic Park Stadium 29 November-6 December81989 Eugene Hayward Field 27 July-6 August91991 Turku Paavo Nurmi Stadium 18-28 July101993 Miyazaki Miyazaki Athletic Stadium 7-17 October111995 Buffalo University at Buffalo Stadium 13-23 July121997 Durban Kings Park Athletic Stadium 17-27 July131999 Gateshead Gateshead International Stadium 29 July-8 August142001 Brisbane Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre 1-14 July152003 Carolina Complejo Deportivo Municipal Roberto Clemente 1-13 July162005 San Sebastián Anoeta Stadium 22 August-3 September172007 Riccione Stadio Italo Nicoletti 4-15 September182009 Lahti Lahden Stadion 28 July - 8 August192011 Sacramento Hornet Stadium 6 - 17 July202013 Porto Alegre Centro Estadual de Treinamento Esportivo 15 - 27 October212015 Lyon Stade de Balmont 4 - 16 August 222016 Perth Western Australian Athletics Stadium 26 October - 6 November 232018 Málaga Málaga Athletics Stadium 4 - 16 September242022 Tampere Ratinan Stadion 29 June - 10 July 252024 Gothenburg Slottsskogsvallen & Ullevi Stadium 13 - 25 August262026 Daegu Daegu Stadium 22 August - 3 September272028Lima29 August - 9 September282030Houston8 June - 20 June
Indoor Championships Official results are archived at the WMA site.
EditionYearCityCountryVenueDate12004 Sindelfingen Glaspalast Sindelfingen 10-14 March22006 Linz TipsArena Linz 15-20 March32008 Clermont-Ferrand Jean-Pellez Stadium 17-22 March42010 Kamloops Tournament Capital Centre 2-7 March52012 Jyväskylä Hippos Hall 3-8 April62014 Budapest SYMA Sports Centre 25-30 March72017 Daegu Daegu Athletics Promotion Center 19-25 March82019 Toruń Arena Toruń 24-30 March92023 Toruń Arena Toruń 25-31 March102025 Gainesville Alachua County Sports & Events Center 23-30 March112027GainesvilleAlachua County Sports & Events Center18-26 March
See also Senior sport World Aquatics Masters Championships
References
External links
WMA Championships & Records - Outdoor WMA Championships & Records - Indoor
Masters History Results