Alachua County will host more than 3,700 athletes from 99 countries for the World Masters Athletics Indoor Championships starting Saturday and lasting a full week.  

With athletes, coaches, support staff, and supporters, the event is expected to bring over 9,000 visitors to the area, packing the Alachua County Sports & Event Center and West End in Gainesville to cheer on the athletes. The championships are for masters athletes aged 35 and older, with some of the elder participants in their 80s and 90s.  

A 104-year-old sprinter has the distinction of being the oldest athlete this year, and the field will include 23 local participants. 

At the previous indoor championships, held in 2023 in Toruń, Poland, numerous world records were set. Hiroo Tanaka, a 92-year-old runner from Japan, set the record for a 200-meter run for men aged 90 to 95 years old. See more records below. 

The indoor championships are held every other year, with the outdoor championships happening in alternate years. Alachua County is the first-ever American host for these championships.  

“We are excited to welcome the world to Alachua County this month,” Alachua County Commission Chair Chuck Chestnut IV said in a release. “The investments we’ve made in the Alachua County Sports and Events Center and to the World Masters Athletics Indoor Championships will create great economic benefits and showcase our county on the world stage.”   

The opening ceremony will happen at 6 p.m. Saturday before the competitions start Sunday with the pentathlon and heats for the 60-meter sprint.  

All of the events—from long jumps to shot put, 200-meter sprints and 10-kilometer road races—are free for the public to enjoy. The events will either take place at the Alachua County Sports & Event Center (4870 Celebration Pointe Ave.) or at West End (12830 W Newberry Rd).  

The Athlete Village at Celebration Pointe will also be open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. with live entertainment and vendors.  

A full schedule of events is available online.  

Residents can also test their speed in a 5K open to everyone. The Celebration Pointe 5K will follow the same course used by the championships’ athletes and start on March 29 around 10:30 a.m., right after the final event of the World Masters Athletics Indoor Championships. You can find details online.  

14 World Masters Athletics Indoor records set at the 2023 championships 

• Men aged 45-50, 200M: 22.23 seconds, Lion Martinez of Sweden 

• Men aged 60-65, 200M: 24.28 seconds, John Wright of Great Britain 

• Men aged 90-95, 200M: 38.79 seconds, Hiroo Tanaka of Japan 

• Men aged 55-60, 60M Hurdles: 8.41 seconds, Derek Pye of USA 

• Men aged 85-90, High Jump: 1.27 meters, Carl-Erik Särndal of Sweden 

• Men aged 70-75, Pole Vault: 3.56 meters, Wolfgang Ritte of Germany 

• Men aged 75-80, Weigh Throw: 20.99 meters for 7.26 kilos, Arild Busterud of Norway 

• Women aged 60-65, 60M: 8.33 seconds, Nicole Barilly Alexis of France 

• Women aged 60-65, 200M: 27.34 seconds, Nicole Barilly Alexis of France 

• Women aged 70-75, 400M: 1 minute 11.34 seconds, Karla Del Grande of Canada 

• Women aged 50-55, Triple Jump: 11.69 meters, Andrea Szirbucz of Hungary 

• Women aged 85-90, Shot Put: 8.27 meters for 2 kilos, Sumiko Yamakawa of Brazil 

• Women aged 70-75, 3000M Race Walk: 17 minutes 39.27 seconds, Maria Orlete Mendes of Portugal 

• Women aged 75-80, 3000M Race Walk: 20 minutes 2.27 seconds, Antonia Tyshko of Ukraine 

Editor’s note: There are now 23 local participants (previously 17) who will be involved in this event.