The USATF Masters Indoor Championships is an annual track and field competition which serves as the national indoor championship for the United States for athletes in masters age groups. Organized by USA Track & Field, the national governing body for the sport, the competition was first held in 1975.Ashbury Park Press, NJ, February 16, 1975. Retrieved Jan 21, 2021 Athletes compete in 5-year age groups, beginning from 25 and up to 105 (where sufficient entries are made). Traditionally limited to athletes over 35, a "pre-masters" group was introduced from 2020 onwards to encourage post-collegiate athletes over 25 to continue competing.Runners World. USATF Masters Adds a ‘Pre-Masters’ Age Group for 25- to 29-Year-Old Runners. Runner's World (2020-05-15). Retrieved 2021-01-16Welcome USATF Masters. USATF. Retrieved 2021-01-25.
History David Pain organized a masters mile run competition in 1966 at Balboa Stadium in San Diego, which grew into a wider track and field championship two years later in 1968. Masterstrack profile David Pain Seven years after, the first National Masters Indoor Track and Field Championship was held March 2, 1975 in Hightstown, NJ. The meet was for men and women athletes age 40 and older. Contact for the meet was Rudy Clarence of New York.Ashbury Park Press, NJ, February 16, 1975. Retrieved Jan 21, 2021Veteris magazine, England, May 1975, Page 22. Retrieved Jan 23, 2021 The 1975 meet was held at the new Peddie School athletic center with a Tartan indoor track (built in 1972).Asbury Park Press, New Jersey, May 2, 1972. Retrieved Jan 21, 2021 The meet has continued annually since, with the exception of 2020 and 2021 which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.USATF. Retrieved Jan 23, 2021USATF. Retrieved Jan 23, 2021
The 1975 meet included Jerry Donley, Bob Fine, Ray Gordon, George Puterbaugh, and George A. Sheehan all winning medals at the 1975 meet.Asbury Park Press, New Jersey, March 3, 1975. Retrieved Jan 20, 2021 Ed McComas broke the listed Masters indoor shot put record.Baltimore Sun, Maryland, March 3, 1975. Retrieved Jan 21, 2021San Fernando Valley Track Club Newsletters, May 1975. Retrieved Jan 23, 2021 George Braceland, Bud Deacon, Claude Hills, Len Olson, and Archie Messenger were competitors at the 1976 meet.Boston Globe, Massachusetts, March 15, 1976. Retrieved Jan 20, 2021
Atlanta Track Club won the 1986 meet, with Philipa Raschker winning seven of their fourteen medals.Atlanta Constitution, Georgia, March 29, 1986. Retrieved Jan 20, 2021 During the March 1988 meet, a major milestone was achieved when Raschker became the first female to pole vault at a major USA indoor track and field championship for any age category. She vaulted 2.44 (8’-0”) at age 40.National Masters News, May 1988. Retrieved Jan 23, 2021 Track & Field News magazine would not report women pole vault records or rankings until after 1988,Track & Field News magazine, Women Records and Rankings, Feb. 1989. Retrieved Jan 23, 2021 and women's pole vault at the Olympics took a further twelve years.Lives About, Mike Rosenbaum, July 15, 2018. Retrieved Jan 23, 2021
Denver Smith (Over the Hill Track Club) won three medals at the 1989 meet. Other winners included Jack Greenwood, Buck Bradberry, Horace Hudson, and Barbara Stewart.Akron Beacon Journal, Ohio, April 14, 1989. Retrieved Jan 20, 2021Democrat and Chronicle, Rochester, NY, March 12, 1989. Retrieved Jan 20, 2021 Rose Thompson and Sue Tallard won four and three events at the 1990 meet.Capital Times, Madison, WI, March 26, 1990. Retrieved Jan 20, 2021
In 2005, June Machala won two gold medals, her husband Joe Machala won two medals,Spokesman-Review, Spokane, WA, March 20, 2005. Reference Jan 21, 2021 Thad Wilson (M50) won gold in the long jump,Journal News, White Plains, NY, March 21, 2005. Retrieved Jan 21, 2021 and Sean Maye (M35) set an American Indoor Record in the 200 meter dash.Springville Herald, Springville, UT, March 17, 2005. Retrieved Jan 21, 2021
March 2009 Henry Rono competed at the Landover, Maryland meet.PVTC, Bob Weiner, USATF National Masters Media Chair, March 13, 2009. Retrieved Jan 23, 2021Masters History, USATF 2009 Meet Results. Retrieved Jan 23, 2021
The 2019 meet included a full range of running, field, and relay events (including the pentathlon). Betty Lindberg (age 94), Dixon Hemphill (94) and George Roudebush (93) each won several medals at the 2019 meet.Masters History, 2019 Meet Results. Retrieved Jan 21, 2021 A full history of past results of the competition is held by Mastershistory.org,Track & Field History. Retrieved Oct. 15, 2020 while a full list of organizer bids for the event is held at the USATF website.USATF Bids. Retrieved Oct. 14, 2020
Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Massachusetts has held the meet on several occasions.Masters History, USATF National Masters Indoor Championships. Retrieved Jan 30, 2021
USATF reports the 2022 meet included ten Masters American Records on the last day of competition.USATF, Mar 21, 2022. Retrieved Mar 22, 2022
Participants Olympians
Numerous Olympians have competed at the USA Masters Indoor Championships.
In 1975 Bob Backus, Bruce MacDonald, and Bob Mimm each won gold at the first National AAU Masters Indoor Track and Field Championship.Asbury Park Press, New Jersey, March 3, 1975. Retrieved Jan 20, 2021 The 1976 meet included Bob Backus, Boo Morcom, and Phil Mulkey as competitors.Boston Globe, Massachusetts, March 15, 1976. Retrieved Jan 20, 2021 Bill Toomey competed at the 1981 meet.Pittsburgh Press, Pennsylvania, March 25, 1981. Retrieved Jan 20, 2021 Bob Mimm, Boo Morcom, Phil Mulkey, Bob Richards, Todd Scully and Fred Samara competed at the 1984 meet.Asbury Park Press, New Jersey, March 10, 1984. Retrieved Jan 21, 2021NMN June 1984. Retrieved Jan 21, 2021
The 1986 meet included Bob Richards going head to head with Boo Morcom twice in the M60 division. Richards winning the PV, and Morcom winning the HJ. Thane Baker won two medals in the sprints.National Masters News, April 1986. Retrieved Jan 23, 2021 Bob Richards won a medal in the pole vault at the 1989 meet.Akron Beacon Journal, Ohio, April 14, 1989. Retrieved Jan 20, 2021 Cliff Blair, Bob Richards, Cindy Bremser, and Sandy Knott won medals at the 1990 meet.Capital Times, Madison, WI, March 26, 1990. Retrieved Jan 20, 2021
Eddie Hart, Phil Mulkey, Bob Richards, Jo Ann Terry Grissom, and Sandra Knott competed at the 1990 meet.Wisconsin State Journal, Madison, WI, March 25, 1990. Retrieved Jan 21, 2021 Bill Rodgers and Joan Benoit Samuelson competed at the 2003 meet. Benoit Samuelson broke the 3000 meter Masters Record at the 2003 meet.Times Recorder, Zanesville, OH, March 29, 2003. Retrieved Jan 20, 2021Daily Record, Morristown, NJ, March 23, 2003. Retrieved Jan 21, 2012Daily Record, Morristown, NJ, March 23, 2003. Retrieved Jan 21, 2021 Trish King (Patricia Porter) and Christopher Faulknor (Jamaican Olympian) won medals at the 2011 meet.Albuquerque Journal, New Mexico, March 3, 2011. Retrieved Jan 23, 2021
At the March 1994 meet Dwight Stones won the M40 high jump.National Masters News, May 1994, Page 40. Retrieved Sep 4, 2021
In March 2009, several Olympians competed at the Landover, Maryland meet, including Jim Barrineau, Renée Belanger (Canadian Olympian), and Howard Lindsay (Antiguan and Barbudan Olympian)March 13, 2009. Retrieved Jan 23, 2021Masters History, USATF 2009 Meet Results. Retrieved Jan 23, 2021 March 2023 included multi-time winner Michelle Rohl (USA),USATF report, Mar 11, 2023. Retrieved Mar 11, 2023 and Jamaican Olympian Garth Robinson.Meet Results. Retrieved Mar 11, 2023
In February 2025, Joetta Clark Diggs won the W60 200 meter dash, setting an American indoor record of 28.62.Finish Timing Womens 200 Dash 60-64. Retrieved Feb 26, 2025 Also, Michelle Rohl won 3 W55 races at 800, 1500, and 3000 meters.Finish Timing Womens 1500 Run 55-64. Retrieved Mar 3, 2025 Nigerian Olympian Olutoyin Augustus "Toyin" also competed in 2025.
February 2026 Matthew Centrowitz Jr. - tentatively signed up - at age 36 - for the 2026 USATF Masters Indoor Championship.USATF Bib List 2026 USATF Masters Indoor Championship. Retrieved Feb 15, 2026
February 2026 Joetta Clark Diggs and Michelle Rohl competed.
Others Competitors Charles Allie and Rita Hanscom received the male and female masters international athlete of the year awards from the IAAF in 2013 and 2009, respectively.Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Honolulu, HI July 23, 2019. Retrieved Oct. 16, 2020Times of San Diego, March 26, 2014. Retrieved Oct. 16, 2020
Several former National Football League (NFL) football players have competed at this meet. Billy "White Shoes" Johnson competed at the 2002 meet.Boston Globe, Massachusetts, March 22, 2002. Retrieved Jan 20, 2021 Willie Gault medaled at the 2003 meet.Daily Record, Morristown, NJ, March 23, 2003. Retrieved Jan 20, 2021 Todd Christensen competed at the 2004 meet.Fox TV News, and Weiner Public News, March 27, 2004. Retrieved Jan 20, 2021 Henry Ellard medaled in the triple jump at the 2015.Runner Space, Meet Results, March 23, 2015. Retrieved Jan 20, 2021 Phil McConkey competed at the 2017 meet.Albuquerque Journal, February 18, 2017. Retrieved Jan 20, 2021 Competing as a M25 athlete: Tyreek Hill won the 60 meter dash at the 2023 Masters Indoor Championship.CBS Sports, Mar 11, 2023. Retrieved Mar 11, 2023
Centenarians Several Centenarians have competed at this meet. Everett Hosack (ages 100 and 101) competed at the 2002 and 2003 meets. Hosack set several records.Boston Globe, Massachusetts, March 22, 2002. Retrieved Jan 20, 2021National Masters News, May 2002. Retrieved Jan 23, 2021Daily Record, Morristown, New Jersey, Mar 23, 2003. Retrieved Jan 26, 2021 March 2014 centenarian masters track and field athlete, Leland McPhie (age 100), won gold medals in the weight throw, superweight throw and shot put.Times of San Diego, Mar 17, 2014. Retrieved Jan 30, 2021Boston Globe, Massachusetts, March 23, 2014. Retrieved Jan 20, 2021 Orville Rogers (100) and Julia “Hurricane” Hawkins (102) set Masters Records at the 2018 meet.Slate, March 17, 2018. Retrieved Jan 20, 2021Greensboro News & Record, March 25, 2018. Retrieved Jan 20, 2021
Media coverage The Championships are webcast on usatf.tv.
The competition receives mainstream coverage from American media outlets, typically focusing on the highest age brackets,Zaccardi, Nick (2019-03-19). Sprinters age 100, 102 break records at USATF Masters Indoors (video). NBC Sports. Retrieved 2021-01-25. as well as more detailed coverage from athletics-related media such as Runner's World.Patruny, Morgan (2018-03-20). Two Centenarians Steal the Show at USATF Masters Indoor Championships. Runner's World. Retrieved 2021-01-25.Huebsch, Tim (2018-03-19). This clip of centenarians throwing down never gets old. Running Magazine. Retrieved 2021-01-25.Eight World Records, 29 American Records at USATF Masters Indoor Championships this week in Winston-Salem . Colorado Runner Magazine (2015-03-22). Retrieved 2021-01-25.
1977, The Ashbury Park Press quoted a David Pain prediction, “there will be more Masters (40-plus) track athletes in the U.S. than younger athletes in less than 10 years”.Asbury Park Press, New Jersey, April 10, 1977. Retrieved Jan 20, 2021 1985 the Baltimore Sun stated on M35 Mile winner Jim Shank, "Westminster man devotes life to running; won't quit as long as it's fun, competitive."Baltimore Sun, Maryland, Apr 7, 1985. Retrieved Jan 23, 2021
1990, Capital Times reports, “… take a back seat to the flood of world and American records that fell … four world records were broken, one world record was tied, and 22 American records were broken . . . “.Capital Times, Madison, WI, March 26, 1990. Retrieved Jan 20, 2021 Wisconsin State Journal quoted Bob Richards in 1990, “Boo Morcom . . . without a doubt the greatest star in Masters”.Wisconsin State Journal, Kris Kort, Madison, WI, March 25, 1990. Retrieved Jan 21, 2021