2007 – a New Dawn When Young Stars Will Emerge
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UPDATE Newsletter of the European Athletic Association 4|06 December European Athletic Association | Avenue Louis-Ruchonnet 18 | 1003 Lausanne (Switzerland) Phone +41 (21) 313 43 50 | Fax +41 (21) 313 43 51 | Email offi [email protected] | www.european-athletics.org Message from European Athletics President Hansjörg Wirz 2007 – A new dawn when young stars will emerge We come to the end of another successful These events play a crucial part in the year for European Athletics and we can look development of our sport and it is no surprise back on the season gone by, the highlight of to see that Christian Olsson, Susanna Kallur which was the best ever European Athletics and Yelena Isinbayeva, who were all crowned Championships, with a great deal of pride. European Champions in Gothenburg last summer, were all previous champions at U23 The year began with the European Athletics level. Indoor Cup in front of a full house in Lievin, France, on the fi rst weekend of March. It has long been the policy of European The men’s competition, which was won Athletics, to focus our fi nancial resources by the host nation, went down to the fi nal into these “developmental” competitions event and in the end could have been won and ensure that there is an appropriate level by any one of four nations. For me, this of competitions for Europe’s young athletes weekend epitomised what makes our Cup at an important stage in their physical competitions so special: teamwork, national development. I have no doubt that a number passion, togetherness and above all, a sense of future champions at senior level will be of unpredictability about the end result! on show in Debrecen and Hengelo next summer. The SPAR European Cup in Malaga in June was another exciting event and was again This year also marks the end of the cycle for won by France on the fi nal event while Russia European Athletics Looking to next year, the European Athletics the current European Athletics Council and President Hansjörg retained their iron grip on the women’s Wirz pictured at Indoor Championships return to Britain I would like to take this occasion to thank competition. the centenary for the fi rst time since 1990. The early the members for their sterling service to our celebrations of the indications are that the National Indoor sport over the last four years. In August our sport took over an entire Finnish federation Arena in Birmingham will be a complete (SUL) in Helsinki city and the majority of TV screens around recently with SUL sell out, offering the perfect stage for our Finally, I would like to wish the Italian Europe. 48 countries took part in the President Antti athletes to battle it out for the 26 European organisers of the 13th Spar European Cross championships. At the end of seven great Pihlakoski titles on offer. Country Championships in San Giorgio su days of competition, athletes from a record Legnano the best of success and to wish the 31 different nations won medals. It was The European U23 Championships will European Athletics family a happy Christmas especially gratifying to see that practically all be held in the beautiful Hungarian city of and a healthy and enjoyable 2007! of the top stars around Europe took part in Debrecen from July 12-15 in the István Gyulai our Championships for the idealistic goal of Stadium, named after the late IAAF General [email protected] being crowned European Champion! Secretary, while the famous Dutch city of Hengelo will host the Junior Championships four days later from July 19-22. UPDATE 4|06 Newsletter of the EAA www.european-athletics.org 1 ATHLETE FOCUS European Athletics Rising Star Estonia won four gold medals at the IAAF World Junior Championships but there was no doubt that Margus Hunt was the biggest, in every sense, contributor to that tally. Confi rmation that Hunt was the world’s Firstly, he launched his implement 66.35m to break the former outstanding performer in the junior ranks record of 65.88m, which had been held by Egypt‘s Omar El this year came when he picked up the Ghazaley since 2003. IAAF Rising Star Award at the 2006 World Athletics Gala in November. His performance was produced in an almost deserted stadium at 9am on the opening morning of the Championships. But, to The stunning form he showed at the IAAF ensure that the few who were present didn’t think that their eyes World Junior Championships in August, had been deceiving them, he followed it up the next day with held in the Chinese capital Beijing, in efforts of 66.68m and 67.32m to dominate the fi nal. becoming the fi rst competitor to win both the shot and discus at the Championships Before Hunt, the only person to set two world junior records was the key to his latest honour. in an individual event at the World Junior Championships was Romania’s Alina Astafei, who cleared 1.98m and 2.00m en-route “The World Athletes Gala was wonderful, to the 1988 women’s high jump gold medal. I was very happy to have the invitation and I was very excited when I heard that I Three days after his discus demonstration, Hunt won the shot by had won the Rising Star Award,” refl ected an emphatic 39cm with 20.53m. His second best effort would Hunt on his big night in Monte Carlo’s also have suffi ced for victory in what he considers to be his glittering Sporting Club d’Eté. subsidiary event. “It was a great experience to be able to “I expected to win the discus and even set world records but the sit at the same table as so many stars of shot put was much more uncertain. I wasn’t sure I was going to the sport and have my picture taken with be able to do the double because some of the other competitors the likes of Yelena Isinbayeva, Tatyana looked very good, but I think I was carried along by the emotional Lebedeva and Kajsa Bergqvist. of what happened in the discus,” said Hunt. “The head coach there is acting as a consultant on my training and we have “These are people that I would never Hunt isn’t living on his laurels though. In 2007, he joins the senior sent him videos of me to be analysed.” normally meet because I am not yet ranks where his opponents will be wiser and stronger. competing at that level of competition like Hunt is well aware that success normally the Golden League meetings or on Grand Among his potential discus rivals will be Alekna, the 2006 takes a few years to achieve in the discus, Prix circuit. European Athletics Championships gold medallist and 2005 where the top men are usually in their late Waterford Crystal European Athlete of the Year, and Tammert, twenties or early thirties. “I think the only person I knew there who took the bronze medal behind Alekna in Gothenburg. beforehand was Virgilijus Alekna, because „I want to return to Beijing and compete he is a good friend of my coach and “I’m now back in training. At the moment I am doing a lot of in the Olympics but I know it‘s going to training partner Alexsander Tammert.” work in the gymnasium and also doing some running as it’s about be tough to qualify. In Estonia we already all you can do outdoors in Estonia at the moment because there is have three men who can throw more than There seems little doubt that Hunt soon rain and snow, and more snow then rain,” joked Hunt. 63 metres and with the 2kg implement. will be rubbing shoulders on a more My best is only around 60 metres but I regular basis. “I go for runs of between three to fi ve kilometres in the local hope that two years will be enough for me woods around the Mustamae district in Tallinn, where I spend to improve to their level and be part of the “And I would like to make the discus more most of my time except when I go home to my village of Karksi- Olympic team,“ said Hunt. popular as well so that it has a higher profi le Nuia to visit my family and relatives. at the best meetings,” added Hunt. When Alekna was asked recently, whether “I quite like running cross country. I’m not so heavy and so it is Hunt can eventually be as good as him he not too much hard work and I think it is a good activity for my answered with a cautious smile “I think he It was not just the gold medals he won in all around fi tness. In December, I will go away on some warm can follow in my footsteps and be a world Beijing, Estonia’s fi rst ever, that got him the weather training camps with Alexsander and Virgilijus Alekna and champion, although hopefully not too award but the way he did it. then in February we plan to go to South Africa for four weeks. quickly and while I am still around,” Hunt, who stands 2.03m tall, sent the “After that, in March and April we are likely to go to Dallas in 1.75kg discus out to three world junior the United States, to use the facilities at Alexander’s old college, records, an unprecedented feat at the Southern Methodist University. Championships.