World Masters Games
Encyclopedia
The World Masters Games is an international multi-sport event
held every four years which, in terms of competitor numbers, has developed into the largest of its kind.
Governed by the International Masters Games Association, the World Masters Games is open to sports people of all abilities and most ages – the minimum age criterion ranges between 25 and 35 years depending on the sport – with Torino, Italy
scheduled to host the major event's eighth edition from 2 August to 11 August 2013.
staged the first World Masters Games in 1985. Since then, World Masters Games has also taken place in Aalborg
, Aarhus
and Herning
(1989), Brisbane
(1994), Portland, Oregon
(1998), Melbourne
(2002), Edmonton
(2005) and Sydney
(2009). Michael Simpson famously won the silver medal in the 1994 200m sprint. The Sydney 2009 World Masters Games attracted a record 28,676 competitors. This is more than double the number of competitors that took part in the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
The Games has been popular with retired professional athletes and former Olympic
competitors, with over 230 past Olympians taking part in the 2009 edition.
, the International Masters Games Association aims to support the Olympic movement and promote the sport-for-all philosophy of the Olympic Charter
by encouraging all people beyond young adulthood to play sport and to participate in Masters Games with the awareness that competitive sport can continue throughout life and improve personal fitness.
A Board of Governors, consisting of sixteen members elected by the General Assembly for a four-year period, administers the IMGA:
- One President
- One Honorary Vice President
- Ten members from the International Sports Federations, including two from the winter Sports Federations.
- One member of a Sport Multidisciplinary Organization.
The International Masters Games Association's board of governors, as of May 2010, was:
{|class=wikitable
|-align="center"
!Position!!Name!!Other roles!
|-
|President ||Kai Holm ||Former IOC Member, Former President of the Danish Olympic Committee
|-
|Honorary Vice President ||H.R.H Tunku Imran ||Honorary Vice President, IOC member, President NOC Malaysia
|-
|Member||Tamas Ajan
||IOC Member, President of the nternational Weightlifting Federation
|-
|Member||Denis Oswald
||IOC Member, President of the nternational Rowing Federation
|-
|Member||Gian Franco Kasper||IOC member, President of the nternational Ski Federation
|-
|Member||Gen. Gianni Gola||Former President of the International Military Sports Council (CISM)
|-
|Member||Philip Craven
||IOC Member, President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC)
|-
|Member||Marisol Casado||IOC Member, President International Triathlon Union (ITU)
|-
|Member||Anders Besseberg||President of the nternational Biathlon Union
|-
|Member||Don Porter
||President of the nternational Softball Federation
|-
|Member||Pat McQuaid
||IOC Member, President International Cycling Union (UCI)
|-
|Member||Jose Perurena
||IOC Member, President International Canoe Federation (ICF)
|-
|Member||Bob Elphinston||Former President of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA)
|-
|Member||Richard L. Carrion||IOC Executive Board, Chair IOC Finance & Audits Commission
|-
|Member||John D. Coates||IOC Executive Board, President NOC Australia, President CAS
|-
|Member||Carlos A. Nuzman||IOC Member, President NOC Brazil and Rio
|-}
Multi-sport event
A multi-sport event is an organized sporting event, often held over multiple days, featuring competition in many different sports between organized teams of athletes from nation-states. The first major, modern, multi-sport event of international significance was the modern Olympic Games.Many...
held every four years which, in terms of competitor numbers, has developed into the largest of its kind.
Governed by the International Masters Games Association, the World Masters Games is open to sports people of all abilities and most ages – the minimum age criterion ranges between 25 and 35 years depending on the sport – with Torino, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
scheduled to host the major event's eighth edition from 2 August to 11 August 2013.
History
TorontoToronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
staged the first World Masters Games in 1985. Since then, World Masters Games has also taken place in Aalborg
Aalborg
-Transport:On the north side of the Limfjord is Nørresundby, which is connected to Aalborg by a road bridge Limfjordsbroen, an iron railway bridge Jernbanebroen over Limfjorden, as well as a motorway tunnel running under the Limfjord Limfjordstunnelen....
, Aarhus
Aarhus
Aarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark...
and Herning
Herning
Herning Municipality is a municipality in Region Midtjylland on the Jutland peninsula in western Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 1,336 km² and a total population of 84,208...
(1989), Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
(1994), Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
(1998), Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
(2002), Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
(2005) and Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
(2009). Michael Simpson famously won the silver medal in the 1994 200m sprint. The Sydney 2009 World Masters Games attracted a record 28,676 competitors. This is more than double the number of competitors that took part in the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
The Games has been popular with retired professional athletes and former Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
competitors, with over 230 past Olympians taking part in the 2009 edition.
Editions
| Year | Host | Sports | Countries | Competitors | Motto |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Toronto Toronto Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
22 | 61 | 8,305 | The year of the Masters |
| 1989 | Aalborg Aalborg -Transport:On the north side of the Limfjord is Nørresundby, which is connected to Aalborg by a road bridge Limfjordsbroen, an iron railway bridge Jernbanebroen over Limfjorden, as well as a motorway tunnel running under the Limfjord Limfjordstunnelen.... , Aarhus Aarhus Aarhus or Århus is the second-largest city in Denmark. The principal port of Denmark, Aarhus is on the east side of the peninsula of Jutland in the geographical center of Denmark... and Herning Herning Herning Municipality is a municipality in Region Midtjylland on the Jutland peninsula in western Denmark. The municipality covers an area of 1,336 km² and a total population of 84,208... , Denmark Denmark Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark... |
37 | 76 | 5,500 | Sport for life |
| 1994 | Brisbane Brisbane Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of... , Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... |
30 | 74 | 24,500 | The challenge never ends |
| 1998 | Portland, Oregon Portland, Oregon Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States... , United States of America United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
28 | 102 | 11,400 | The global celebration of sport for life |
| 2002 | Melbourne Melbourne Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater... , Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... |
26 | 98 | 24,886 | The biggest multi-sport festival on Earth |
| 2005 | Edmonton Edmonton Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
25 | 89 | 21,600 | A festival of sport in the city of festivals |
| 2009 2009 World Masters Games The Sydney 2009 World Masters Games, the seventh edition of what has developed into the world’s largest multi-sport event in terms of participation, is being held in the largest city in Australia and the capital city of New South Wales from 10 October to 18 October in 2009.Open to sportspeople of... |
Sydney Sydney Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people... , Australia Australia Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area... |
28 | 95 | 28,676 | Fit, fun and forever young |
| 2013 | Torino, Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
||||
| Sport for life, Sport for all |
Winter games
| Year | Host | Sports | Countries | Competitors | Motto |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Bled Bled Bled is a municipality in northwestern Slovenia in the region of Upper Carniola. The area, within the Julian Alps, is a popular tourist destination.-History:... , Slovenia Slovenia Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of... |
7 | 42 | 3,000 | The games for you |
| 2015 | Sestriere Sestriere Sestriere is an alpine village in Italy, a comune of the Province of Turin. It is from the French border. Its name derives from Latin: ad petram sistrariam, that is at sixty Roman miles from Turin.... -Pragelato Pragelato Pragelato is a comune in the Province of Turin in the Italian region Piedmont, located about 60 km west of Turin, in the upper Val Chisone. The name Pragelato, meaning ‘icy meadow’, has been derived from the harsh climate and the fact that the ground is covered with ice for long periods... -Torino, Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
* | * | * | * |
International Masters Games Association
The International Masters Games Association is the worldwide representative body for Masters sport. Recognised by the International Olympic CommitteeInternational Olympic Committee
The International Olympic Committee is an international corporation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin on 23 June 1894 with Demetrios Vikelas as its first president...
, the International Masters Games Association aims to support the Olympic movement and promote the sport-for-all philosophy of the Olympic Charter
Olympic Charter
The Olympic Charter, last updated March 21, 1992, is a set of rules and guidelines for the organization of the Olympic Games, and for governing the Olympic Movement. Adopted by International Olympic Committee , it is the codification of the Fundamental Principles, Rules and By-laws. French and...
by encouraging all people beyond young adulthood to play sport and to participate in Masters Games with the awareness that competitive sport can continue throughout life and improve personal fitness.
A Board of Governors, consisting of sixteen members elected by the General Assembly for a four-year period, administers the IMGA:
- One President
- One Honorary Vice President
- Ten members from the International Sports Federations, including two from the winter Sports Federations.
- One member of a Sport Multidisciplinary Organization.
The International Masters Games Association's board of governors, as of May 2010, was:
{|class=wikitable
|-align="center"
!Position!!Name!!Other roles!
|-
|President ||Kai Holm ||Former IOC Member, Former President of the Danish Olympic Committee
|-
|Honorary Vice President ||H.R.H Tunku Imran ||Honorary Vice President, IOC member, President NOC Malaysia
|-
|Member||Tamas Ajan
Tamás Aján
Tamás Aján is the President of the International Weightlifting Federation and a member of the International Olympic Committee....
||IOC Member, President of the nternational Weightlifting Federation
|-
|Member||Denis Oswald
Denis Oswald
Denis Oswald is a Swiss rower and sports official. He competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics, in the 1972 Summer Olympics, and in the 1976 Summer Olympics....
||IOC Member, President of the nternational Rowing Federation
|-
|Member||Gian Franco Kasper||IOC member, President of the nternational Ski Federation
|-
|Member||Gen. Gianni Gola||Former President of the International Military Sports Council (CISM)
|-
|Member||Philip Craven
Philip Craven
Sir Philip Craven MBE is a British sports official and former athlete. He is the second and current President of the International Paralympic Committee .-Education:...
||IOC Member, President of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC)
|-
|Member||Marisol Casado||IOC Member, President International Triathlon Union (ITU)
|-
|Member||Anders Besseberg||President of the nternational Biathlon Union
|-
|Member||Don Porter
Don Porter
Donald Porter was an American actor who appeared in a number of films in the 1940s, including Top Sergeant and Eagle Squadron, but is perhaps best known for his role as Russell Lawrence, the widowed father of 15-year old Frances "Gidget" Lawrence in the 1965 ABC television series...
||President of the nternational Softball Federation
|-
|Member||Pat McQuaid
Pat McQuaid
Patrick "Pat" McQuaid is a former Irish professional road racing cyclist and current president of the Union Cycliste Internationale .-Background:...
||IOC Member, President International Cycling Union (UCI)
|-
|Member||Jose Perurena
José Perurena
José Perurena López is a Spanish sprint canoer who competed in the late 1960s. He was eliminated in the repechages of the K-4 1000 m event at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City....
||IOC Member, President International Canoe Federation (ICF)
|-
|Member||Bob Elphinston||Former President of the International Basketball Federation (FIBA)
|-
|Member||Richard L. Carrion||IOC Executive Board, Chair IOC Finance & Audits Commission
|-
|Member||John D. Coates||IOC Executive Board, President NOC Australia, President CAS
|-
|Member||Carlos A. Nuzman||IOC Member, President NOC Brazil and Rio
|-}
See also
- European Masters GamesEuropean Masters GamesThe European Masters Games is a multi-sport event, consisting of summer sports, that is held every four years. The age categories vary depending on the sport but the competition is generally for people 30-35 years or older. The first games were held in 2008 in Malmö, Sweden. The European Masters...
- 2009 World Masters Games2009 World Masters GamesThe Sydney 2009 World Masters Games, the seventh edition of what has developed into the world’s largest multi-sport event in terms of participation, is being held in the largest city in Australia and the capital city of New South Wales from 10 October to 18 October in 2009.Open to sportspeople of...
- Multi-sport eventMulti-sport eventA multi-sport event is an organized sporting event, often held over multiple days, featuring competition in many different sports between organized teams of athletes from nation-states. The first major, modern, multi-sport event of international significance was the modern Olympic Games.Many...
- Masters athletics (track and field)Masters athletics (track and field)Masters athletics is a class of the sport of athletics for veteran athletes in the events of track and field, road running and cross country running. The competitions feature five-year age groups beginning at age 35. Men as old as 104 and women in their 100s have competed in running, jumping and...