1985 World Masters Athletics Championships Explained

1985 World Masters Athletics Championships
Size:240
Stadium:Stadio Olimpico
Host City:Rome, Italy
Dates:22-30 June 1985
Level:Masters
Type:Outdoor
Athletes Participating:4330
Nations Participating:48[1]
Previous:1983
Next:1987

41.9339°N 12.4548°W1985 World Masters Athletics Championships is the sixth in a series of World Masters Athletics Outdoor Championships (called World Veterans Games or World Masters Games at the time) that took place in Rome, Italy, from June 22 to 30, 1985.[1]

The main venue was Stadio Olimpico located within the Foro Italico sports complex.[1] Stadio Olimpico had hosted the 1960 Summer Olympics. Supplemental venues included Stadio dei Marmi, also located within the complex,[2] Stadio Acqua Acetosa and Stadio della Farnesina.

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.[3]

This Championships was organized by WAVA in coordination with a Local Organising Committee (LOC) headed by Cesare Beccalli,[1] who later was elected WAVA president on December 2, 1987 in Melbourne.[4] [5] [2] [6]

In addition to a full range of track and field events,[7] [8] non-stadia events included 8K Cross Country, 10K Race Walk (women), 20K Race Walk (men), and Marathon.The relays were resurrected as official events after being removed in the 1983 Championships,[9] [10] but teams were formed by region rather than by nation.Relays will revert to national teams for 1987.

Controversy

In 1976, the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) had expelled the Amateur Athletic Union of South Africa due to the apartheid policy of the South African government at that time,[11] though the WAVA constitution as written in 1977 specifically stated its independence from IAAF regarding this issue:[2] [12]

Nevertheless, participation of South African athletes had been an issue in this series. At this Championships, about 48 South Africans competed, though they signed up through another nation,in a manner similar to the last 2 Championships in 1981[9] and 1983,[13] However, many of these athletes were listed under their native flag in the results.

Results

Past Championships results are archived at WMA.[14] Additional archives are available from Museum of Masters Track & Field[15] as a pdf book,[16] as a searchable pdf,[17] and in pdf newsletters from National Masters News.[18] [19] The pdf book includes a rare photograph of the blind sprinter Fritz Assmy next to his son/guide.[17] The August newsletter shows a series of photographs of Assmy in action, guided by his son with a short wrist tether. Assmy won golds in M70 100m and 200m, and silver in 400m.[19] He described his running technique in the June newsletter.[18]

Several masters world records were set at this Championships. World records for 1985 are from the Museum of Masters Track & Field searchable pdf[17] unless otherwise noted.

Women

EventAthlete(s)NationalityPerformance
W60 400 MetersPaula Schneiderhan
W70 400 MetersWinifred Reid
W45 800 MetersGodelieve Roggeman
W60 800 MetersErika Werner
W65 800 MetersLenore Marvin
W70 800 MetersJohanna Luther
W35 1500 MetersJoyce Smith
W45 1500 MetersGodelieve Roggeman
W40 5000 MetersGabriela Andersen-Schiess
W45 5000 MetersAnne Marie Grüner
W55 5000 MetersJean Albury
W65 5000 MetersLenore Marvin
W45 10000 MetersAnne Marie Grüner
W55 10000 MetersJean Albury
W55 High JumpChristiane Wippersteg
W60 High JumpKirsten Hveem
W75 High JumpBertha Hielscher
W40 Long JumpCiska Jansen
W65 Long JumpElizabeth Haule
W50 Shot PutOdette Domingos
W50 Discus ThrowOdette Domingos
W60 Javelin ThrowAda Turci
W40 5K Race WalkLillian Millen
W70 10K Race Walk[20] Francine Bonnans

Men

EventAthlete(s)NationalityPerformance
M50 200 MetersRon Taylor
M45 400 MetersJames Burnett
M50 400 MetersIngo Vierk
M60 400 MetersFrank Evans
M60 800 MetersFrank Evans
M65 1500 MetersJohn Gilmour
M65 5000 MetersJohn Gilmour
M70 80 Meters HurdlesTeófilo Colón
M60 400 Meters HurdlesFrans Buys
M50 5K Race WalkAbdon Pamich
M55 5K Race WalkLouis Marquisr
M50 20K Race WalkMaurice Hinton
M55 20K Race WalkLouis Marquisr
M65 High JumpHans Bitter
M70 High JumpIan Hume
M70 Triple JumpIan Hume
M75 Triple JumpGulab Singh
M70 Shot PutVoitto Elo
M85 Hammer ThrowFriederich Bender
M50 Javelin ThrowJosef Kopitar
M75 Pole VaultAhti Pajunen

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Outdoor . World Masters Athletics .
  2. Book: Masters Track and Field: A History. Olson. Leonard T.. Nov 29, 2000. McFarland . 0786408898.
  3. Web site: WORLD MASTERS (VETERANS) CHAMPIONSHIPS (MEN). Athletics Weekly. gbrathletics.com.
  4. News: Rain, Wind and Cold Fail to Dampen Spirit of VII World Veterans Games. January 1988. Museum of Masters Track & Field. National Masters News.
  5. Book: Kusy. Krzysztof. Zieliński. Jacek. Parzy. Wiesława. January 2006. 83-88923-69-2. Masters athletics. Social, biological and practical aspects of veterans sport. Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego w Poznaniu/Poznan University of Physical Education. ResearchGate.
  6. Web site: WMA President Cesare Beccalli passes away. Dec 26, 2007. World Athletics.
  7. Web site: WMA World Masters Athletics RULES OF COMPETITION. Martin Gasselsberger. Masters Athletics.
  8. Web site: World Masters Athletic Championships. Wellington Masters Athletics.
  9. News: Special 4th World Veterans Games Issue. February 1981. Museum of Masters Track & Field. National Masters News.
  10. Web site: The World Association of Veteran Athletes Newsletter 4. March 1981. Museum of Masters Track & Field. World Association of Veteran Athletes. 38.
  11. News: South Africa Expelled by Track Body. Robert Trumbull. July 23, 1976. The New York Times.
  12. News: Proposed Constitution for the World Masters Track and Field Association. August 1977. USMITT. Museum of Masters Track & Field. 9.
  13. News: World Games Draw 1,935. November 1983. Museum of Masters Track & Field. National Masters News.
  14. Web site: Championships Outdoor. World Masters Athletics. 2022-01-03.
  15. Web site: Results: World Outdoor Championships, Other Internationals. Museum of Masters Track & Field. 2022-01-03.
  16. Web site: Risultati Ufficiali VI WORLD VETERANS GAMES ROMA 1985. Museum of Masters Track & Field.
  17. Web site: RESULTS OF VI WORLD VETERANS GAMES. Museum of Masters Track & Field.
  18. News: 4500 ENTER VI WORLD VETERANS GAMES. June 1985. Museum of Masters Track & Field. National Masters News.
  19. News: VI World Games Draw 4,330. August 1985. Museum of Masters Track & Field. National Masters News.
  20. The 10K was incorrectly recorded as 20K in the results.