1993 World Masters Athletics Championships

1993 World Masters Athletics Championships
Dates7 - 17 October 1993
Host cityMiyazaki, Japan
VenueMiyazaki Athletic Stadium
LevelMasters
TypeOutdoor
Participation11,475 athletes from
71[1] nations
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31°49′28″N 131°26′45″E / 31.8243736°N 131.44588°E / 31.8243736; 131.44588 (Miyazaki Athletic Stadium) 1993 World Masters Athletics Championships is the tenth in a series of World Masters Athletics Outdoor Championships (called World Veterans Championships at the time) that took place in Miyazaki, Japan from 7 to 17 October 1993. [1]

The main venue was Miyazaki Athletic Stadium (Japanese: 宮崎県総合運動公園陸上競技場), located within the Miyazaki Prefectural Sports Park. [2] The Sports Park had 3 track facilities and a throwing field, [3]: 22  including a 400m track especially built for this Championships. [4]: 18  [5]: 16 : 18  The Japanese government invested $20 million to host this Championships, with a reported loss of $18 million. [6]: 194 

The 11,475 participants reported by WMA may actually be over 12,000, more than doubling the previous highs of 4,800+ at the previous three editions of this series. [7]: 52  In fact it was the largest track and field meet ever held, [5]: 14  only the largest marathons draw more competitors. [7]: 53  The host country Japan alone supplied 9,901 athletes, about half of whom were marathoners. [6]: 192 

18,000 people attended the most elaborate opening ceremonies of any Championships in this series on Saturday, 9 October. [5]: 17 

It featured a 600-member women's choir, a Usutaiko Dance performed by 500 school children, marching by 200 high school students, a 100-member brass band, thousands of balloons, and a parade by nations

The three-time Olympian Evelyn Ashford carried a friendship torch into the stadium to light an Olympic-style flame; [5]: 17  [7]: 45  she would win the W35 200m in the competitions. [8]: 153 

Athletes from China participated for the first time in this series, though with only a token delegation. [6]: 192 

This edition of masters athletics Championships had a minimum age limit of 35 years for women and 40 years for men. [5]: 14 

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. [9] [7]: 56 

This Championships was organized by WAVA in coordination with a Local Organising Committee (LOC) headed by Mikio Oda. [1]

In addition to a full range of track and field events, [10] [11] non-stadia events included 10K Cross Country, 10K Race Walk (women), 20K Race Walk (men), and Marathon.

  1. ^ a b c "Outdoor". World Masters Athletics.
  2. ^ "武井壮さんが金メダル! 世界マスターズ陸上が開催された日本で唯一の県はどこ!?". visit.miyazaki. Aug 17, 2015. Archived from the original on August 26, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  3. ^ "Would You Believe 12,000 Participatants in Japan?" (PDF). National Masters News. Museum of Masters Track & Field. September 1993.
  4. ^ "Record 12,102 Athletes From 77 Nations Enter 10th World Veterans Championships" (PDF). National Masters News. Museum of Masters Track & Field. October 1993.
  5. ^ a b c d e Cite error: The named reference NMN12 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ a b c Olson, Leonard T. (Nov 29, 2000). Masters Track and Field: A History. McFarland. ISBN 0786408898.
  7. ^ a b c d 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. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference reswom was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  9. ^ "WORLD MASTERS (VETERANS) CHAMPIONSHIPS (MEN)". gbrathletics.com. Athletics Weekly.
  10. ^ Martin Gasselsberger. "WMA World Masters Athletics RULES OF COMPETITION". Masters Athletics.
  11. ^ "World Masters Athletic Championships". Wellington Masters Athletics.