1983 World Masters Athletics Championships

1983 World Masters Athletics Championships
Dates23-30 September 1983
Host citySan Juan, Puerto Rico
VenueEstadio Sixto Escobar
LevelMasters
TypeOutdoor
Participation1935 athletes from
47[1] nations
← 1981
1985 →

18°27′55″N 66°05′20″W / 18.465278°N 66.088889°W / 18.465278; -66.088889 (Estadio Sixto Escobar)

Masters Mundiales Atletismo 1983
Parque Central

1983 World Masters Athletics Championships is the fifth in a series of World Masters Athletics Outdoor Championships (called World Veterans Games or World Masters Games at the time) that took place in San Juan, Puerto Rico, from 23 to 30 September 1983.[1]

The main venue was Estadio Sixto Escobar, [2]: 14  [3]: 15  while Parque Central hosted most field events. [4]: 9  Opening ceremonies were held at Hiram Bithorn Stadium. [3]: 16  The mascot was the jicotea, a freshwater turtle sacred to the indigenous Taíno peoples. [5]

This edition of masters athletics Championships had a minimum age limit of 35 years for women and 40 years for men.

The governing body of this series is World Association of Veteran Athletes (WAVA). WAVA was formed during meeting at the inaugural edition of this series at Toronto in 1975, then officially founded during the second edition in 1977, then renamed as World Masters Athletics (WMA) at the Brisbane Championships in 2001. [6] [7]: 56 

This Championships was organized by WAVA in coordination with a Local Organising Committee (LOC) led by José F. Méndez, with San Juan Mayor Hernán Padilla serving as "Patron of the Games". [4]: 3  [8]

In addition to a full range of track and field events, [9] [10] non-stadia events included 10K Cross Country, 10K Race Walk (women), 20K Race Walk (men), and Marathon. The relays were run as unofficial events on the final day, [3]: 18  since the WAVA by-laws had been amended at the 1981 Championships to suspend relays in 1983. [11] [12]

As an experiment, there will he no relays in Puerto Rico. The reason being that the host countries usually dominate by sheer numbers and the smaller countries just don't have enough competitors to comprise a team.

  1. ^ a b "Outdoor". World Masters Athletics.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference NMN8 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference NMN was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b "Official Program" (PDF). Museum of Masters Track & Field.
  5. ^ "Jico San Juan 83" (PDF). Museum of Masters Track & Field.
  6. ^ "WORLD MASTERS (VETERANS) CHAMPIONSHIPS (MEN)". gbrathletics.com. Athletics Weekly.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference Masters was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ "Caribbean News Briefs". United Press International. July 4, 1983.
  9. ^ Martin Gasselsberger. "WMA World Masters Athletics RULES OF COMPETITION". Masters Athletics.
  10. ^ "World Masters Athletic Championships". Wellington Masters Athletics.
  11. ^ "Special 4th World Veterans Games Issue" (PDF). National Masters News. Museum of Masters Track & Field. February 1981. p. 11.
  12. ^ "The World Association of Veteran Athletes Newsletter 4" (PDF). Museum of Masters Track & Field. World Association of Veteran Athletes. March 1981. p. 38.