The very first World Masters Athletics Championships took place in Toronto in 1975. Since then, the Championships have been hosted by 18 different nations and 23 cities world-wide.

1975 – Toronto
1977 – Gottenburg, Sweden
1979 – Hannover, Germany
1981 – Christchurch, New Zealand
1983 – San Juan, Puerto Rico
1985 – Rome, Italy
1987 – Melbourne, Australia
1989 – Eugene, Oregon
1991 – Turku, Finland
1993 – Miyazaki, Japan
1995 – Buffalo, USA
1997 – Durban, South Africa

1999 – Gateshead, England
2001 – Brisbane, Australia
2003 – Carolina, Puerto Rico
2005 – Donostia, Spain
2007 – Riccione, Italy
2009 – Lahti, Finland
2011 – Sacramento, USA
2013 – Puerto Alegre, Brazil
2015 – Lyon, France
2016 – Perth, Australia
2018 – Malaga, Spain

In Memory of Don Farquharson

Founder of World Masters Athletics

Farquharson was the founder of Masters Athletics in Canada during the 1970s, was president of the organizing committee for the first World Championships in Toronto in 1975, and served as the first president of the World Association of Veterans Athletes on its formation in 1977. He also served on the Ontario Masters Board of Directors for many years from 1981 to his death in 2000. Click here for more.

World Masters Track and Field Championships 1975
Organizing Committee

WAVA – World Association of Veteran Athletes

(changed to World Masters Athletics)

1975 News Archives
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TO 1975 Results 1

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TO 1975 Results 2

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TO 1975 Results 3

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Male athletes who competed at the first World Masters Athletics Championships in 1975, pictured at the Sacramento World Championships in 2011.

From left to right: Jerry Smartt USA, Derek Howarth UK, Ed Whitlock CAN, Ron Franklin UK, Arthur Walsham UK.

Canadian masters track and field athlete, Ed Whitlock competed in the very first Championships in Toronto in 1975. He raced in Cross Country (21st), 800m (5th), 1500m (4th) and the 4X400m Relay (3rd) at the inaugural event. He received the baton as the anchor leg for Team Canada and was the last runner on the track for the meet.

In 2003, Whitlock became the first person over 70 years old to run a marathon in less than three hours with a time of 2:59:10.

Ed passed away in 2017. Rest and peace to a Canadian masters legend.

Irene Obera USA won the Bronze in the 100m (12.5) at the first World Masters Athletics Championships in 1975.

Irene is still competing pictured here at recently at the 2016 USATF Indoor Championships. (photo by Rob Jerome)