Beccalli elected WMA president — again
Cesare Beccalli of Italy defeated Stan Perkins of Australia today for the presidency of World Masters Athletics when the General Assembly of WMA voted 66 to 55 in favor of Beccalli, who also was president in the 1990s. Beccalli succeeds Torsten Carlius, who was term-limited out of office.
Beccalli, who served five two-year terms as WAVA president, will likely now serve two four-year terms (assuming he’s re-elected in 2009). Thus he will be 79 at the end of his service to WMA.
In addition, the General Assembly chose Lahti, Finland, as the host city of the 2009 World Masters Athletics Championships.
Lahti beat Aarhus, Denmark, 90 votes to 36, according to Annette’s Seite — the first to post news of the WMA elections. Riccione, Italy, previously was chosen to host the 2007 world masters meet.
Lahti was the site of the first “Masters Athletics Grand Prix“ — a qualifying meet for the IAAF world championships in Helsinki.
Finland is getting its second World Masters Athletics Championships. In July 1991, the city of Turku, Finland, hosted the ninth WMAC.
