This articleneeds additional citations forverification.(March 2020) |
World Masters Athletics(WMA) is the worldwide governing body for the sport ofmasters athletics– which includestrack and field,cross country,androad runningevents – as participated by people over 35 years of age.
 WMA logo | |
 WAVA logo | |
| Predecessor | World Association of Veteran Athletes |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1977 |
| Type | Masters athletics |
| Focus | athletic competition, senior sports |
Area served | Worldwide |
| Website | world-masters-athletics |
As the need became apparent, the organization started under the name of World Association of Veteran Athletes (WAVA), [1] founded August 9, 1977, at the secondWorld Association of Veteran Athletes ChampionshipsinGothenburg,Sweden.In 2001 the name was officially changed to World Masters Athletics and its championship is now called theWorld Masters Athletics Championships.The organization sanctions worldwide events, provides the age inspired specifications for rule modifications (a supplement to the rules of the sport by its worldwide governing body,World Athletics).
Prior to that, the sport was organized under the auspices of more localized bodies where the first official competitions were held, like the Interessen-Gemeinschaft Älterer Langstreckenläufer (IGÄL) formed in 1968 inGermany,British Veteran Athletic Club inGreat Britainand theAAUin theUnited States.In 1972, the United States Masters International Track Team (USMITT) scheduled a tour of Great Britain and then Germany.[2]to coincide with the 1972OlympicsinMunich.Those were the first deliberately scheduled international masters competitions for Track events. The World Veteran Long Distance Championships were already in existence as the older road runner was more common at that time.
At its founding, WAVA's mandate was initially to cover male athletes over the age of 40 and Female athletes over the age of 35. The younger women were invited to participate as their numbers were lower and it was observed younger wives might be excluded. The WMA World Outdoor Championships included the M35 division for the first time in 2005.[3][4]The scope has also expanded from initially track and field competitions (called "stadia" within the organization), to include road running,race walkingandcross country runningevents (called cumulatively "non-stadia", as these do not take place in a stadium).
World Masters Championships were first held outdoors in 1975, and continuedbienniallyin odd years until 2015. They then switched to even years from 2016.[5]The biennialWorld Masters Athletics Indoor Championshipsdebuted in March 2004 inSindelfingen,Germany,continuing in even years until 2014, then switching to odd years from 2017. The most recent outdoor world meet was inMálaga,Spain,fromSeptember 4–16, 2018.The most recent Indoor Championships were held inToruń,Poland,from March 24–30, 2019.[6]The 2020 championship was scheduled to take place inToronto,but was cancelled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[7]
The first non-Stadia events were the World Road Running Championships inBirmingham, Englandin 1992 and has been held in even numbered years ever since.
WMA has been working to coordinate its outdoor championship schedule with the International Masters Games Association, which holds the multisportWorld Masters Gamesevery four years.
Each individual country governs its own affairs with an organizational governing body that is an affiliate to WMA.
World championships
editSeveral world championship events are conducted by WMA.[8]Some competitions are held as part of larger events – for example, the World Masters Athletics 100 km Championships have been conducted as part of theIAU World 100 Kilometres Challenge,with the exception of the first edition in 1998 which was held as a distinct event.[9]
Regional championships
editIn addition to world championships, regional competitions are held in several major areas around the globe. These are usually biennual competitions held in alternation with theWMA Outdoor Championships.[10]
See also
editExternal links
editReferences
edit- ^ "WORLD MASTERS (VETERANS) CHAMPIONSHIPS (MEN)".gbrathletics.Athletics Weekly.
- ^"Newsletter"(PDF).mastershistory.org. 1970.Retrieved2020-03-04.
- ^National Masters News, Oct 2005, Page 17.[1]Retrieved Feb 7, 2021
- ^2003 Meet Results, M40 plus, Masters History.[2]Retrieved Feb 7, 2021
- ^"HOME".World Masters Athletics.
- ^"WMACI Toruń, Poland".World Masters Athletics Championships Indoor 2019.2019-04-23.Retrieved2019-04-23.
- ^"World Masters Athletics Championships 2020 Cancelled".Master Athlete.Retrieved10 October2020.
- ^"WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS".world-masters-athletics.org.Retrieved1 October2024.
- ^"WMA WORLD MASTERS (VETERANS) 100 KILOMETRES CHAMPIONSHIPS".GBR Athletics.Retrieved1 October2024.
- ^"Regions".WMA.