European Athletics 1 | 12 June INSIDE TRACK
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Your Sport for Life Newsletter of European Athletics 1 | 12 June INSIDE TRACK Helsinki heralds new beginning Your Sport for Life WoRD fRom ThE PRESIDENT Helsinki 2012: IMPRESSUM European Athletics A fresh boost for Association Européenne d’Athlétisme President: Hansjörg Wirz the sport in Europe Vice Presidents: Jose Luis de Carlos Karel Pilny Jean Gracia Hansjörg Wirz | President, European Athletics Director General: Christian Milz Office: European Athletics has been working The Olympic-year European Athletics recognise the importance of this Avenue Louis-Ruchonnet 18 hard to strengthen the positioning of Championships will ensure that success. CH-1003 Lausanne Helsinki 2012 and future Olympic-year athletes on the continent will compete Switzerland European Athletics Championships as more often in a flagship event during Let’s not forget, though, that many Phone +41 (0)21 313 43 50 Fax +41 (0)21 313 43 51 key to the international athletics and the peak of their careers. About 1,350 top athletes who have won world and [email protected] sporting calendar, and we will witness European athletes have competed Olympic titles have not won European www.european-athletics.org the outcome at the Olympic Stadium at recent editions of the European titles! from 27 June to 1 July. Athletics Championships, whereas we “Inside Track” is published by European Athletics have 500–600 fewer athletes compete at A biennial European Athletics A biennial European Athletics an Olympics or World Championships. Championships treats fans to more Co-ordination: Championships will provide athletes of the best European Athletics has to James Mulligan with a more regular stage on which to The European Athletics Championships offer. The two-year format will create Aditya Kumar European Athletics become top-level champions. Indeed, offers a chance for a bigger number more European champions, increase Communication Department we must ask the question: how many of athletes (1,350 in Barcelona) in the number of stars in the sport within Phone +41 (0)21 313 43 57 European medals are really “secure” comparison with a full season of 39 each country and find new stars more [email protected] for London 2012? one-day meetings in Europe (in 2011 regularly. only 289 European athletes – out of the Text, Photos: James Mulligan, Aditya Many athletes need this high level of 3,396 athletes – participated in more Being a European champion means Kumar, Bill Glad, Phil Minshull, competition ahead of London 2012 than three meetings. And only 662 more than being a winner from a one- Hansjörg Wirz, Christian Milz, and future Olympics. A more regular participated in two to three meetings. day meeting, and keeps European Andy Heading, Picture Alliance top-level event improves athletes’ athletes at the forefront of attention Helsinki 2012 LOC, Zurich performances, whether it’s a physical The chance for success for athletes during an Olympic year. 2014 LOC effect such as how the championships is much higher, and all athletes want Design, Production: fit into training and competitive to become a Champion – world, We have had experiences when certain AMK Atelier für Marketing programmes or a mental impact by Olympic or European. It is obvious stars have not competed at European und Kommunikation giving an athlete more motivation or that there are 100 percent European Athletics Championships: Yuri Amstutzstrasse 14 CH-6010 Kriens, Switzerland an additional focal point. An aspiring medal winners at our continental Borzakovsky in Göteborg 2006 and Phone +41 (0)41 320 00 72 Olympic medallist must be extremely championships – compared to about Yelena Isinbayeva in Barcelona 2010 Fax +41 (0)41 320 00 79 strong mentally to choose not to 40 percent of European medal winners did not compete. Ultimately, it didn’t [email protected] compete and then see their rivals being at the Olympics. The public, television, matter. No one in the media spoke Print: successful at Helsinki 2012. media, institutions and governments about them once the event started. New Multicolor Print AG stars were created in their absence. CH-6340 Baar, Switzerland Follow us: 2 www.european-athletics.org Newsletter of European Athletics 1|12 INSIDE TRACK WoRD fRom ThE PRESIDENT e Lif or f t Spor our Y These new stars from Helsinki 2012 may among fans ahead of the Games. It will interested in hosting the championships. even replace those athletes not competing allow athletes to reach their maximum After Helsinki will be the Zurich 2014 and in Helsinki in the public’s thoughts and performance level in the lead up to the then Amsterdam 2016 championships. affection ahead of the London Games. Olympics. The U.S. Olympic trials see And Berlin, Paris, Rome have been linked athletes competing at the highest level six with bids for 2018 – all major cities. A European Athletics Championships weeks before London 2012 – and just look creates champions, inspirational at the success rate of American athletes For now, though, the focus is on Helsinki. moments, smiling faces, and as soon as at the Olympics. Why wouldn’t this work I hope you are looking forward to the the Championships start, any absent in Europe? event as much as I am. athletes will be forgotten. I am looking forward to the start of a As well as creating new stars, for younger format that will keep young people more athletes an additional European Athletics engaged and reinforce public interest Championships can act as a vital stepping more regularly. Thanks to the efforts of stone to world and Olympic level. the Local Organising Committee under the leadership of President and European 2 WoRd FRoM tHE 16 EdUcAtIon An athlete competing at a European Athletics Council member Antti Pihlakoski PRESIdEnt “Creativity and innovation” as Athletics U23 Championships in the and General Secretary Esa Honkalehto, Helsinki 2012: A fresh boost key theme at CEO Conference past would sometimes be exposed innovations to be introduced at Helsinki for the sport in Europe to the Olympic Games and World 2012 include mobile applications, shorter Focus on promoting Helsinki Championships before having the chance competition programmes and medal to compete at a European Athletics ceremonies held in the party atmosphere 4 HELSInKI 2012 2012 Championships. of the Event Square near the stadium. Helsinki set to put on a historic Championships 18 YoUng LeadERS Helsinki 2012 will not only create new A consequence of the Olympic-year FoRUM European champions, but also promises European Athletics Championships is 8 EURopean AtHLEtIcS Next generation of sports to be a spectacular curtain raiser for that it will create a stronger platform for cHAMPIonSHIPS leaders converge on Helsinki! London 2012. It will capitalise on the commercial growth. The two-year format Ten great moments at increased interests in the Championships will allow European Athletics’ valued the European Athletics 20 COUncIL during an Olympic year. The timing and International Partners SPAR, OMEGA, Championships Decisions from European location of the Olympics will ensure LE GRUYÈRE AOC and EUROVISION Athletics Council meeting in increased television audiences and to generate increased public awareness 10 HELSInKI Sofia heightened interest across Europe. It is a of their link with the sport. The success proven phenomenon that interest in major of the IAAF World Championships when The home of great athletics sporting events is a boost for events in the it moved onto a two-year cycle starting in 21 ZÜRIcH 2014 build-up. 1993 has shown this. 12 HELSInKI 2012 Bracing up for an amazing ‘Appy’ – the 2012 European event with a long-term The Championships will act as a key The new format will also give Athletics Championships impact milestone in the narrative of athletics in broadcasters the chance to increase the application the lead up to the Olympic Games. It’s sport’s visibility. Broadcast intentions for 22 DirectoR gEnERAL’S the biggest athletics event of 2012 ahead Helsinki 2012 as of 7 June stood near the 14 EBU StAtE oF tHE SPoRt of London 2012 with the broadest range 800-hour mark of live and delayed TV Helsinki 2012 is the perfect Heading into the home of European broadcasters, giving the coverage, extremely encouraging figures opportunity to discover new straight of Helsinki 2012 majority of Europe the chance to watch with three weeks to go. talent and stars before the the Championships live on television or Olympics 24 CONVEntIon through live streaming. After Helsinki 2012, a biennial European Athletics Championships means more Time to honour the Helsinki 2012 will be a barometer for the host cities will be encouraged to bid for best of European athletics public judging its athletes’ chances ahead the flagship event, and we have some of the Olympics, generating talking points exciting future cities confirmed as hosts or INSIDE TRACK 1|12 Newsletter of European Athletics www.european-athletics.org 3 Your Sport for Life RUBIRKhELSINKI 2012 Helsinki set to put on a historic championships Helsinki will go into the history books this summer as the first city to stage the European Athletics championships for a third time, following the Finnish capital being the host in 1971 and 1994, writes Phil Minshull. It is also as good as certain that many – then Lemaitre will join a very select band However, the 800 m promises to be a very athletes themselves will also write their of men who have won five gold medals competitive event and Borzakovskiy, a names into the annals of the sport in at the European Athletics Championships. noted fast finisher, could be challenged by Europe. two of the rising stars of European 800m Among the men, only the British 400m running: Czech Republic’s Jakub Holusa One man who did so two years ago at runner Roger Black and the German 400m and Spain’s Kevin López, a pair of runners the last edition in Barcelona was the hurdler Harald Schmid have done so.