1987 World Masters Athletics Championships

1987 World Masters Athletics Championships
Dates28 November - 6 December 1987
Host cityMelbourne, Australia
VenueOlympic Park Stadium
Olympic Park Stadium in 2008, before being demolished in 2011
LevelMasters
TypeOutdoor
Participation4,817 athletes from
52[1] nations
← 1985
1989 →

37°49′29″S 144°58′53″E / 37.824722°S 144.981389°E / -37.824722; 144.981389 (Olympic Park Stadium)

Gosch's Paddock
Royal Park

1987 World Masters Athletics Championships is the seventh in a series of World Masters Athletics Outdoor Championships (called World Veterans Games or World Masters Games at the time) that took place in Melbourne, Australia, from 28 November to 6 December 1987.[1] The 4,000+ participating athletes made this the largest track and field meet in the world.[2]: 2 

The main venue was Olympic Park Stadium, which had hosted the 1956 Summer Olympics. A World Games Promotional Track and Field Meet was held at Olympic Park Stadium on 7 December, 1986 as a warm-up publicity showcase. [3] [4]: 2  The stadium was later demolished in 2011 and replaced by Olympic Park Oval. Throwing events were held in Gosch's Paddock next to the tracks. [5]: 8  Cross Country was held at Royal Park. The marathon course included Port Melbourne, South Melbourne, St Kilda and Elwood, with start and finish at Olympic Park Stadium. [2]: 4 

The three-time Olympian Raelene Boyle carried a friendship torch into the stadium to light an Olympic-style flame during opening ceremonies on Sunday, 29 November.

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) of Peg Smith, Ray Callaghan. [1]

In addition to a full range of track and field events, [8] [9] non-stadia events included 10K Cross Country, 10K Race Walk (women), 20K Race Walk (men), and Marathon. After an experimental suspension of the relays in 1983 [10] [11] and forming regional relay teams in 1985, [12] [13] relays reverted to national teams for this Championships. [14]

  1. ^ a b c "Outdoor". World Masters Athletics.
  2. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference MastersResults was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Freak Weather mars World Games Promotional Track and Field Meet" (PDF). Australian Marathon Running. The Veteran Athlete. February 1987.
  4. ^ Peg Smith (March 1987). "'87 World Games Update" (PDF). Australian Marathon Running. The Veteran Athlete.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference NMN was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  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. ^ Martin Gasselsberger. "WMA World Masters Athletics RULES OF COMPETITION". Masters Athletics.
  9. ^ "World Masters Athletic Championships". Wellington Masters Athletics.
  10. ^ "Special 4th World Veterans Games Issue" (PDF). National Masters News. Museum of Masters Track & Field. February 1981. p. 11.
  11. ^ "The World Association of Veteran Athletes Newsletter 4" (PDF). Museum of Masters Track & Field. World Association of Veteran Athletes. March 1981. p. 38.
  12. ^ "4500 ENTER VI WORLD VETERANS GAMES" (PDF). National Masters News. Museum of Masters Track & Field. June 1985. p. 15.
  13. ^ "RESULTS OF VI WORLD VETERANS GAMES" (PDF). Museum of Masters Track & Field. p. 43.
  14. ^ "VI World Games Draw 4,330" (PDF). National Masters News. Museum of Masters Track & Field. August 1985. p. 25.