101- year old is the oldest competitor for the WMA2009

Now that the Entry System for the WMA 2009 has finished, the Championships have 5250 participants, the oldest being 101-year old Austrian, who takes part in Shot put and Hammer. The amount of participating countries is 80.  – We are very pleased with the achieved result, tells Secretary General Virpi Hurri. The venues are prepared, the officials are trained and in all together, everything is progressing according to schedules, rejoices Virpi Hurri.

The size of the Team Finland is over ten times bigger than in the previous World Championships of Master Athletics organized in Italy 2007. Also, the goal of 1000 Finnish athletes set by the Finnish Veteran Athletic Association (SVU) was exceeded one and a half – fold.

- This is a fantastic and huge outcome. Thanks for that goes to everybody involved in this and who have enabled this with their personal input, explains the Executive Manager of SVU Vesa Lappalainen.
In Masters World Championships, the medals are being given in different age groups between every five years, starting from 35-year olds all the way up to 100 – year olds. The large size of Team is an antecedent for success especially in Relays as well as in Marathon, in Cross Country and Walks Team Events.

Finland has been for years one of the World’s Top in men’s events, but as a whole, clearly in the shade of the leading country in Master Championships, Germany. For the first time Finland has a women’s team of 300 athletes, so Finland is able to challenge Germany in the Medal Chart.  

- Increase in the popularity of running is very apparent. There is a lot of women participants, especially for the Marathon. It is truly a great fact that women have stepped up to compete alongside with men, rejoices Lappalainen.