WAAA Championships

The WAAA Championships was an annual track and field competition organised by the Women's Amateur Athletic Association (WAAA) in England. It was the foremost domestic athletics event for women during its lifetime.

WAAA Championships
SportTrack and field
Founded1923
Ceased2006
CountryEngland/United Kingdom

Since 1880, the Amateur Athletic Association of England had held the AAA Championships, but it admitted men only and did not wish to include women.[1] Women's clubs and competitions were typically separate from the men's and in line with growing interest in the sport the WAAA was founded in 1922.[2] Several contests in the country were approved by the WAAA with "Championships of England" status that year, and this was subsequently replaced with an organised WAAA Championships in 1923.[3] Aside from the 1927 championships in Reading, Berkshire, the WAAA track and field event was based at various locations in London up to 1939.[4] The competition was interrupted by World War II but was re-instigated in 1945 and remained in London until a move to Birmingham in 1985.[5][3]

As women's athletics developed in the 20th century, major international men's and women's events typically were held in conjunction, with women first appearing on the Olympic athletics programme in 1928 and the European Athletics Championships being fully combined by its third edition in 1946.[6][7] The AAA and WAAA events remained divided for much longer and it was not until 1988 that the women's events were merged into an all-gender AAA Championships in 1988, though the WAAA remained the organiser of the women's events.[3] This change came during a period of reform that would see the sport fully professionalise and, in the UK, organisation move to national level.

The establishment of UK Athletics in 1999 to serve as the national governing body for professional, elite athletics ultimately started the decline of the AAA Championships. UK Athletics took over the role of both national championships and international team selection with its own British Athletics Championships from 2007 onwards.[8]

The long-distance track events, marathon, racewalking events and combined track and field events were regularly held outside of the main track and field championship competition.[3]

Events

The following athletics events featured as standard on the main WAAA Championships programme:

  • Sprint: 100 m, 200 m, 400 m
  • Distance track events: 800 m, 1500 m, 3000 m (until 1999) 5000 m
  • Hurdles: 100 m hurdles, 400 m hurdles, 3000 m steeplechase
  • Jumps: long jump, triple jump, high jump, pole vault
  • Throws: shot put, discus, hammer, javelin

The following events were regularly held, but often outside of the main programme:

Races were contested, and field events measured, in yards and feet up until 1968. The 2000 metres steeplechase was held in 2002 and 2003 before moving to the standard 3000 m distance. The 80 metres hurdles was contested until 1968 before being replaced by the new international standard 100 metres hurdles. The 200 metres hurdles was on the programme from 1961 to 1972, before being dropped in favour of the 400 metres hurdles. A 60 metres event was available from 1935 to 1950. A women's mile run was first contested in 1936, indicating a growing acceptance to women taking part in distance events. The 3000 metres was introduced in 1968 and lasted until 1999. The standard 5000 metres and 10,000 metres events came after, being first held in 1980 as non-championship events before achieving full status.[3]

The field events expanded roughly in line with international changes. The triple jump first appeared in 1989, followed by championship events in pole vault and hammer throw in 1993, bringing women to parity with men in field events. A women's pentathlon (first held in 1949) was replaced with a heptathlon in 1981.[3]

Racewalking events underwent progressive change in distance, from 880 yards (1923–1927), to one mile (1928–1932), rounded down to 1600 m in 1933 to 1939, back to one mile (1945–1958), up to 1.5 miles (1960–68), then 2500 m (1969–1972), 3000 m in 1973 and 1974, before finally reaching the 5000 m distance in 1975. A 10,000 m walk was introduced in 1978.[3] A variety of relay races were contested by clubs prior to 1960.[5]

Editions
# Year Date Venue Stadium Notes
—1922VariousVariousChampionships status provided to several events
11923LondonBromley, Oxo Sports Ground
21924London
31925LondonStamford Bridge
41926LondonStamford Bridge
51927Reading
61928LondonStamford Bridge
71929LondonStamford Bridge
81930LondonStamford Bridge
91931LondonStamford Bridge
101932LondonStamford Bridge
111933LondonWhite City Stadium
121934LondonHampstead Heath
131935LondonWhite City Stadium
141936LondonWhite City Stadium
1519377 AugustLondonWhite City Stadium
161938LondonWhite City Stadium
171939LondonWhite City Stadium
Not held 1940 to 1944 due to World War II
181945LondonTooting Bec Athletics Track
191946LondonWhite City Stadium
2019472 AugustLondonPolytechnic Stadium
21194826 JuneLondonPolytechnic Stadium
221949LondonWhite City Stadium
231950LondonWhite City Stadium
241951LondonWhite City Stadium
25195214 JuneLondonWhite City Stadium
261953LondonWhite City Stadium
271954LondonWhite City Stadium
281955LondonWhite City Stadium
291956LondonWhite City Stadium
301957LondonWhite City Stadium
3119587 JuneLondonMotspur Park
3219594 JulyLondonMotspur Park
3319601–2 JulyLondonWhite City StadiumPentathlon held in Birmingham
3419618 JulyLondonWhite City StadiumPentathlon held in Birmingham
351962LondonWhite City StadiumPentathlon held separately in London
3619636 JulyLondonWhite City Stadium100 m hurdles held in Watford, Pentathlon held in Leamington Spa
3719644 JulyLondonWhite City Stadium100 m hurdles held in Watford, Pentathlon held in Birmingham
3819653 JulyLondonWhite City Stadium100 m hurdles held in Wolverhampton, Pentathlon held separately in London
3919661 JulyLondonWhite City Stadium200 m hurdles held in Watford, Pentathlon held in Birmingham
401967LondonWhite City Stadium200 m hurdles held in Manchester, Pentathlon held in Solihull
41196819–20 JulyLondonCrystal Palace National Sports CentreImperial distance events replaced with metric distances
3000 m and 200 m hurdles held in Crawley
42196919 JulyLondonCrystal Palace National Sports Centre3000 m and 200 m hurdles held in Manchester, Pentathlon held in Birmingham
43197027 JuneLondonCrystal Palace National Sports Centre
44197117 JulyLondonCrystal Palace National Sports CentrePentathlon held in Birmingham
451972LondonCrystal Palace National Sports Centre
461973LondonCrystal Palace National Sports CentrePentathlon held in Warley, Essex
471974LondonCrystal Palace National Sports Centre
481975LondonCrystal Palace National Sports Centre
491976LondonCrystal Palace National Sports Centre
501977LondonCrystal Palace National Sports CentrePentathlon and 5000 m walk held in Wolverhampton
511978LondonCrystal Palace National Sports CentrePentathlon and 5000 m walk held in Birmingham
521979LondonCrystal Palace National Sports CentrePentathlon and 5000 m walk held in Birmingham, 10,000 m walk held in Hornchurch
531980LondonCrystal Palace National Sports Centre10K run and pentathlon held in Birmingham
54198125 JulyLondonCrystal Palace National Sports Centre10,000 metres held in Enfield, heptathlon held in Birmingham
551982LondonCrystal Palace National Sports Centre3000 and 10,000 metres and heptathlon held in Birmingham
56198330 JulyLondonCrystal Palace National Sports Centre3000 and 10,000 metres and heptathlon held in Birmingham, 10,000 m walk held in Kirkby
571984LondonCrystal Palace National Sports Centre10,000 m and heptathlon held at Herne Hill, 10,000 m walk held in Birmingham
58198526–27 JulyBirminghamAlexander Stadium10,000 m and heptathlon held in Bournemouth, 10,000 m walk held in London
5919866–7 JuneBirminghamAlexander Stadium10,000 m and heptathlon held in Hull, 10,000 m walk held in London
601987BirminghamAlexander Stadium10,000 m and heptathlon held in Stoke-on-Trent, 10,000 m walk held in Middlesbrough
—19885–7 AugustBirminghamAlexander StadiumOlympic trials, women's championships held in conjunction with men's for first time
5000 and 10,000 metres and heptathlon held in Stoke-on-Trent, 10,000 m walk held in London
—198911–13 AugustBirminghamAlexander Stadium5000 metres and heptathlon held in Stoke-on-Trent, triple jump held in Middlesbrough, 10 km walk held in Leeds
—19903–4 AugustBirminghamAlexander Stadium5000 metres and heptathlon and triple jump held in Stoke-on-Trent, 10,000 m held in Portsmouth, 10,000 m walk held in London
—199126–27 JulyBirminghamAlexander Stadium10,000 m walk, 5000 metres and heptathlon held in Stoke-on-Trent, 10,000 m held in Cardiff
—199227–28 JulyBirminghamAlexander StadiumOlympic trials
5000 metres and hammer throw held in Stoke-on-Trent, 10,000 m and heptathlon held in Sheffield
—199316–17 JulyBirminghamAlexander Stadium3000 metres held in London, 10,000 m held in Portsmouth, heptathlon and 10,000 m walk held in Horsham
—199411–12 JulySheffieldDon Valley Stadium5000 metres held in Birmingham, heptathlon and 5000 m walk held in Horsham, 10,000 m walk held in Bolton
—199515–16 JulyBirminghamAlexander Stadium10,000 m held in Bedford, heptathlon held in Stoke-on-Trent, 10,000 m walk held in Watford
—199614–16 JulyBirminghamAlexander StadiumOlympic trials
heptathlon held in Bedford, 10,000 m walk held in Enfield
—199724–25 JulyBirminghamAlexander StadiumHeptathlon held in Sheffield, 10,000 m walk held in Worcester
—199824–26 JulyBirminghamAlexander Stadium3000 metres held in Sheffield, 10,000 m held in Bedford, Heptathlon held in Derby, 10,000 m walk held in Basildon
—199923–25 JulyBirminghamAlexander StadiumNew javelin model introduced
3000 metres held in Sheffield, 10,000 m held in Watford, Heptathlon held in Hexham
—200011–13 JulyBirminghamAlexander StadiumOlympic trials
10,000 m held in Watford, Heptathlon held in Stoke-on-Trent
—200113–15 JulyBirminghamAlexander Stadium10,000 m held in Watford, Heptathlon held in Bedford
—200212–14 JulyBirminghamAlexander Stadium10,000 m held in Manchester, Heptathlon held in Wrexham
—200325–27 JulyBirminghamAlexander Stadium10,000 m held in Watford, Heptathlon held in Stoke-on-Trent
—200410–11 JulyManchesterSportcityOlympic trials
10,000 m held in Watford, heptathlon held in Stoke-on-Trent
—20059–10 JulyManchesterSportcity10,000 m held in Watford, heptathlon held in Hexham
—200615–16 JulyManchesterSportcity10,000 m held in Watford, heptathlon held in Stoke-on-Trent

Most successful athletes by event
Event Women Women's titles
100 metres Joice Maduaka 5
200 metres Kathy Smallwood-Cook 6
400 metres Joslyn Hoyte-Smith
Linda Keough		 3
800 metres Kelly Holmes 7
1500 metres Hayley Tullett 4
3000 metres Yvonne Murray 4
5000 metres Hayley Yelling 3
10,000 metres Hayley Yelling 3
3000 m steeplechase Tina Brown 2
100 m hurdles Sally Gunnell 7
200 m hurdles Pat Nutting
Pat Jones		 3
400 m hurdles Gowry Retchakan 5
High jump Dorothy Tyler 8
Pole vault Janine Whitlock 6
Long jump Ethel Raby 6
Triple jump Michelle Griffith 5
Shot put Judy Oakes 17
Discus throw Suzanne Allday 7
Hammer throw Lorraine Shaw 6
Javelin throw Tessa Sanderson 10
Combined events Mary Peters 8
3000/5000 m race walk Betty Sworowski 4
10,000 m race walk Irene Bateman
Helen Elleker
Betty Sworowski
Vicky Lupton		 3

References
  1. AAA Championships. GBR Athletics. Retrieved 2018-04-04.
  2. About Athletics. Sheffield Hallam University. Retrieved 2018-04-04.
  3. AAA Championships (Women). GBR Athletics. Retrieved 2018-04-04.
  4. WAAA Championships (1923-1939). GBR Athletics. Retrieved 2018-04-04.
  5. British Athletics Championships 1945-1959. GBR Athletics. Retrieved 2018-04-04.
  6. Olympic Games (Women). GBR Athletics. Retrieved 2018-04-04.
  7. European Championships (Women). GBR Athletics. Retrieved 2018-04-04.
  8. AAA, WAAA and National Championships Medallists. National Union of Track and Field Statisticians. Retrieved 2018-04-04.
Editions
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