A 40-year-old and a 75-year-old can compete in the same event, against the same standard, with a result that meaningfully reflects the quality of each performance. Age grading makes this possible.
The problem with absolute times in a masters context
In open athletics, the fastest time wins. But in masters athletics, applying the same rule across age groups would be absurd — a 40-year-old will almost always run faster than a 70-year-old, regardless of how exceptional that 70-year-old’s performance is.
How age-graded competitions work
In an age-graded competition, every athlete’s performance is converted to an age grade percentage. The athlete with the highest percentage wins — regardless of their age or absolute performance.
This means a 68-year-old woman who runs a 14.20 second 100m could beat a 42-year-old man who runs 11.50 seconds — if her performance represents a higher percentage of the world standard for her age and gender.
The broader significance
Beyond competition, age grading is a statement about what masters athletics values: not raw speed or power, but the quality of performance relative to what’s humanly possible at each stage of life.
➡ Calculate your age grade and compare across age groups at themasterathlete.com/
