IAAF rejected Daegu indoor track, but it’s fine for 2017 worlds

Indoor track at Daegu ready for 2017 worlds?

Indoor track at Daegu ready for 2017 worlds?

Last week, WMA formally announced that its General Assembly had awarded 2017 indoor worlds to Daegu, South Korea. It was no surprise, since it had no competition. Daegu should be well-run, since Korea is rich economically and experienced in big meets. IAAF worlds were there in 2011, you’ll recall. According to a July inspection report, “The city is completing the construction of a state of the art Indoor Stadium, being built close by the outdoors stadium used in 2011 within the Daegu Sports Park.” But an August news report said the $65 million arena “has been closed two months after completion because it doesn’t meet international standards.” IAAF wanted a 150-meter warmup track, and it didn’t have one. But WMA is more forgiving.

Daegu officials posed with WMA inspection team last summer, including VP Stadia Serge Beckers (second from left) and WMA President Stan Perkins (third from right).

In case you’re confused about the odd-numbered year (since indoor worlds traditionally are held in even-numbered years, including 2014 in Budapest, Hungary), keep in mind that World Masters Athletics is moving to a new rotation to avoid going head-to-head with the World Masters Games, whose outdoor meets are in odd-numbered years.

So here’s the lineup: WMA outdoor worlds will be in Lyon, France, in 2015 and in Perth, Australia, in 2016. That means no indoor worlds between 2014 and 2017.

Daegu also represents a big break from geographical tradition. Europe hosted all but one of the other indoor worlds, starting with Sindelfingen in 2004. (Kamloops, B.C., in 2010 was the exception.)

WMA’s hope is that an Asian WMA meet will attract thousands more than the usual, since the 1993 world masters outdoor meet in Miyazaki, Japan, was off the charts for entrants (mainly due to marathoners). But think of China sending 3,000 entrants! They could dominate the medal chart if they wanted. Brazil was No. 2 for medals at Porto Alegre, finishing behind only Team USA 170-146. See the medal chart here.

Outdoor (artist’s?) view of Daegu Indoor Athletics Arena.

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November 4, 2013

5 Responses

  1. Mary Harada - November 4, 2013

    “, S. Korea has been overwhelmingly selected to host the 7th World
    Masters Athletics Indoor Championships.”
    quote is from the WMA website – and makes it sound as if there was a competition – in fact – there was the one bid – so it was – Daegu or nothing. A little honestly would be nice.
    Not having an indoor worlds would be unfortunate and I am all for spreading the meets around the world as long as the LOC is capable of putting on a meet.
    2017 is a few years away so the organizers have time to get their act together. Meanwhile let us hope that Budapest will be a good meet, and Lyon and Perth – years to go and miles to run before 2017.

  2. Mike May - November 4, 2013

    While I’m sure it will be well run , it’s unfortunate timing as its on a similar longitude to Perth and only five months later so Europeans and East Coast Americans may find two long haul trips in the space of a year too much to take on, and entries will not be as good as they could have been some other year

  3. Ken Stone - January 11, 2014

    Daegu LOC has posted its first newsletter ahead of 2017 indoor worlds: http://www.world-masters-athletics.org/files/newsstories_files/20140108daegu2017vol1.pdf

  4. Norma Nonie Hudnall - May 26, 2016

    How can I get info on this meet in Korea? I’m very much interested in competing, but can’t find any info.

  5. Ken Stone - May 27, 2016

    South Korea site:
    http://daegu2017.or.kr/eng/

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