1977 World Masters Athletics Championships

57°40′40″N 11°56′22″E / 57.677778°N 11.939444°E / 57.677778; 11.939444 (Slottsskogsvallen)

1977 World Masters Athletics Championships
Dates8-13 August 1977
Host cityGothenburg, Sweden
VenueSlottsskogsvallen
LevelMasters
TypeOutdoor
Participation2670 athletes from
45[1] nations
1975
1979
Ullevi Stadium

1977 World Masters Athletics Championships is the second in a series of World Masters Athletics Outdoor Championships (called World Masters Championships or World Veterans Championships at the time) that took place in Gothenburg, Sweden, from 8 to 13 August 1977.[1] [2]

The main venue was Slottsskogsvallen. [3]: 1  [4]: 46  Supplemental venues included Ullevi Stadium for 5K and 10K races, the former Gothenburg-Särö railroad route for Marathon, and the park around Björngårdsvillan for Cross Country and Road Walks. [5]

This edition of masters athletics Championships had a minimum age limit of 35 years for women and 40 years for men. [6]: 4  The age groups for women are now in 5-year (rather than 10-year as in 1975) divisions, same as for men. [6]: 3 

The governing body of this series is World Association of Veteran Athletes (WAVA, initially called World Veterans Athletic Association). [3]: 2  WAVA was formed during meeting at the inaugural edition of this series at Toronto in 1975, then officially founded and named when its constitution was proposed during General Assembly at this edition on 9 August 1977. [4]: 47  [7]: 167  [6]: 4  [8]: 2  [9]: 7  WAVA was renamed as World Masters Athletics (WMA) at the Brisbane Championships in 2001. [6]: 4  [10] [4]: 56 

This Championships was organized by the nascent WAVA in coordination with a Local Organising Committee (LOC) led by Roland Jerneryd ( SWE). [1] Jerneryd was elected WAVA secretary at the General Assembly. [6]: 2  [7]: 166  [4]: 47 

In addition to a full range of track and field events, [11] non-stadia events included 8K Cross Country and Marathon.

Controversy

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A major issue at the WAVA founding was South Africa, which had been expelled by the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) in 1976 due to the apartheid policy of the South African government at that time. [12] The WAVA constitution was written to be independent of IAAF, [7]: 167  [9]: 9  and stated that

no competitor be barred because of race, religion, ethnic background, or national origin.

Nevertheless, South African participation was not settled when the meet began, before the WAVA constitution was proposed, and several athletes from South Africa (and Rhodesia) registered as Americans. [7]: 165  [13]: 18  The issue of South African athletes remained controversial until South Africa rejoined IAAF in 1992, after the end of the apartheid system. [14]

Results

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Past Championships results are archived at WMA. [15] Additional archives are available from Museum of Masters Track & Field [16] as a pdf book, [8] as a searchable pdf, [3] and in a pdf newsletter. [6]

Several masters world records were set at this Championships, including M40 5k run and 3k steeplechase by 1964 Olympic gold medalist Gaston Roelants, and M40 discus by four-time Olympic Champion Al Oerter. [17] [7]: 171  The blind sprinter Fritz Assmy wowed the crowd with 2 victories in the M60 100m and 200m, [7]: 172  [4]: 46  guided by his son-in-law Klaus Hinrichsen in lane 8. [8]: 20  World records for 1977 are from WMA[15] unless otherwise noted.

Women

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No world records were reported. Among the notable performances, American Miki Gorman won the W40 1500m, 3000m, cross-country, and marathon, while Irish Maeve Kyle won the W45 in 100m, 400m, high jump and long jump.

Event Athlete(s) Nationality Performance
M60 100 Meters Percy Duncan   CAN
M50 200 Meters Jack Greenwood[7]: 172 [6]   USA
M60 200 Meters Fritz Assmy   FRG
26.0
M75 200 Meters Herb Anderson[7]: 172 [6]   USA
M40 200 Meters Reginald Austin[7]: 172    AUS
M40 400 Meters Noel Clough[7]: 172    AUS
M50 400 Meters Jack Greenwood[7]: 172 [6]   USA
M70 400 Meters Josiah Packard   USA
M75 400 Meters Herb Anderson[7]: 172 [6]   USA
M40 800 Meters Tony Blue[7]: 172    AUS
1:54.8
M45 800 Meters Johan Hesselberg[7]: 172    NOR
M75 800 Meters Harold Chapson   USA
M45 1500 Meters P Majoor   NED
4:05.6
M75 1500 Meters Harold Chapson   USA
M40 5000 Meters Gaston Roelants[6][7]: 172    BEL
14:03.0
M70 5000 Meters Einar Nordin   SWE
19:59.3
M75 5000 Meters Paul Spangler   USA
M70 10000 Meters Einar Nordin   SWE
M50 100 Meters Hurdles Jack Greenwood[7]: 172 [6]   USA
M55 100 Meters Hurdles Tom Patsalis   USA
17.2
M60 100 Meters Hurdles Robert Reckwardt   FRG
M65 100 Meters Hurdles R. Lacey   USA
M70 100 Meters Hurdles W McFadden   USA
23.7
M75 100 Meters Hurdles Herb Anderson[7]: 172 [6]   USA
26.6
M40 400 Meters Hurdles Noel Clough   AUS
M40 3000 Meters Steeplechase Gaston Roelants[7]: 60 [7]: 172    BEL
8:56.6
M45 3000 Meters Steeplechase Hal Higdon[7]: 172    USA
9:39.0
M70 3000 Meters Steeplechase R Wiseman   GBR
18:03.0
M60 High Jump Erik Stai   NOR
M60 High Jump Ian Hume   CAN
M65 High Jump Ivar Sand   NOR
M40 Long Jump T Chilton   USA
7.03
M45 Triple Jump Hermann Strauss   FRG
M45 Triple Jump Dave Jackson   USA
M60 Triple Jump E Seater   NOR
10.70
M65 Triple Jump Ivar Sand   NOR
10.42
M75 Triple Jump Herb Anderson[7]: 172    USA
8.36
M80 Triple Jump S Falk   SWE
6.44
M75 Shot Put F. Posluschni   FRG
10.78
M40 Shot Put Ivan Ivančić[7]: 172    YUG
18.03
M80 Shot Put P Goic   YUG
8.74
M40 Discus Throw Al Oerter[7]: 172    USA
60.36
M60 Discus Throw R Gustavsson   SWE
45.58
M70 Discus Throw V Andersson   SWE
38.00
M75 Discus Throw M Cullen   Wales
31.58
M40 Javelin Throw Urs von Wartburg[7]: 172     SUI
78.66
M70 Javelin Throw E Curtice   USA
37.48
M75 Javelin Throw Herb Anderson[7]: 172 [6]   USA
27.48

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Outdoor". World Masters Athletics.
  2. ^ "World Master Athletics Championships 2024". City of Gothenburg.
  3. ^ a b c "World Masters Championships Track and Field August 8-13 1977 Slottsskogsvallen Gothenburg Sweden" (PDF). MastersHistory.org.
  4. ^ a b c d e 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)
  5. ^ "Gothenburg Expects 3000 Vets Huge European Entry Likely" (PDF). Veteris. British Masters Athletic Federation. July 1977. p. 6-7.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Bob Fine (Autumn 1977). "'Fantastic' may be the best word to describe 1977 Second World Masters Championships" (PDF). National Masters News. Museum of Masters Track & Field.
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y Olson, Leonard T. (Nov 29, 2000). Masters Track and Field: A History. McFarland. ISBN 0786408898.
  8. ^ a b c "World Masters Championships Track and Field August 8-13 1977 Slottsskogsvallen Gothenburg Sweden" (PDF). Museum of Masters Track & Field.
  9. ^ a b "Proposed Constitution for the World Masters Track and Field Association" (PDF). USMITT. Museum of Masters Track & Field. August 1977.
  10. ^ "WORLD MASTERS (VETERANS) CHAMPIONSHIPS (MEN)". gbrathletics.com. Athletics Weekly.
  11. ^ Martin Gasselsberger. "WMA World Masters Athletics RULES OF COMPETITION". Masters Athletics.
  12. ^ Robert Trumbull (July 23, 1976). "South Africa Expelled by Track Body". The New York Times.
  13. ^ "3RD WORLD VETERANS CHAMPIONSHIP ISSUE" (PDF). National Masters News. Museum of Masters Track & Field. October 1979.
  14. ^ "South Africa Track Gets Approval for Games : Olympics: IAAF's backing leaves all the country's sports in good standing for Barcelona". Associated Press. L.A. Times. May 30, 1992.
  15. ^ a b "Championships Outdoor". World Masters Athletics. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  16. ^ "Results: World Outdoor Championships, Other Internationals". Museum of Masters Track & Field. Retrieved 2022-01-03.
  17. ^ "ZOMERNIEUWS 2001 (DEEL 3) (Flämisch)". Archived from the original on 2010-01-02. Retrieved 2022-01-09.