UPDATE Newsletter of the European Athletic Association 3|04 December President‘s Message HANSJÖRG WIRZ begun to transform our organisation. We started by moving our Head Office As in any business, the success of a sport to Lausanne and increasing the available movement like ours requires constant working capacity to meet the new de- adaptation to the changing expectations mands. To increase our control over our of society in general and the customer in marketing rights, we have changed our particular. The first priority for European structure for managing them. To help 2 CONTEST Athletics is, of course, that our athletes increase the recognition of European Ath- Waterford Crystal European have the chance to practice the sport and letics and create additional value for our Athlete of the Year Trophy 04 can participate in a well-structured system sport, we created a new brand architec- that provides them with the appropriate ture that visually links all our activities. To 5 STATISTICS level of competition. But it is also impor- improve our operational efficiency, we tant to understand and meet the needs adapted our internal structure and we will The Europeans in the top 100 of other groups touched by our sport, for propose constitutional changes for con- example spectators in the stadium and tel- sideration by the next EAA Congress. To 8 INSIDE evision viewers. increase the input of ideas and know how In memoriam EAA honorary from our Member Federations, we created member Artur Takac The year 2004 has underlined the impor- a system of working groups. To improve tance of these facts. In the highlight of our member services, including our devel- the season, the Olympic Games in Athens, opment activities, we strengthened the 9 INSIDE we witnessed great performances on both relevant structure. And finally, we have EAA Council autumn meeting the track and the field and we in Europe worked closely with the IAAF on the elab- in Lausanne could celebrate the particular success of oration and implementation of the World our athletes across the spectrum of events. Athletics Plan and on efforts to improve Moreover, the large crowds in the Olympic the sport’s competition system by giving 10 DEVELOPMENT stadium and the great interest in athletics the Area associations greater control and EAA Science Award 2004 on the part of television viewers were pos- responsibility. itive and encouraging indications of the strength of our sport within the Olympic Our programme this year has been ambi- movement. Interest in the other athletics tious and time consuming but we are in a events talking place in Europe throughout process that is necessary and will contin- the season was also encouraging. ue. Further efforts and flexibility are need- ed to establish the new structure properly Nevertheless, the season reminded us that and reach the most efficient way of work- there are important issues that need our ing. An important objective for the com- highest attention. Many of the issues we ing months will be a further improvement face will have to be addressed in close co- of our communication system. operation with the IAAF while others are exclusively in the responsibility of the EAA. It is my great wish to thank you all for the Adaptation and changes will be neces- support for these changes and for your sary but will require the right operational understanding when the temporary in- structure, adequate manpower and the conveniences that are inevitable in such a acceptance of the concerned bodies and process arise. I am sure that, like me, you European Athletic Association persons. recognise that our efforts are necessary Avenue Louis-Ruchonnet 18 for the good of the future that we are all 1003 Lausanne Switzerland Some time ago the EAA Council realised looking forward to. that to position European Athletics for fu- Phone +41 (21) 313 43 50 ture growth there was a need for change [email protected] Fax +41 (21) 313 43 51 and renewal, so in 2004 we implement- Hansjörg Wirz (SUI) is President of Mail offi[email protected] Web www.european-athletics.org ed a strategy and procedures that have the European Athletic Association UPDATE 3|04 Newsletter of the EAA 1 Stefano CONTEST Baldini (ITA) European Athletic of Stefan the Year 2004 Holm (SWE) For the 12th time the European Athletic Association will award the best female and male athlete of the outgoing season with the «Waterford Crystal European Athlete of the Year Trophy». The internet poll on www.european-athletics.org is open for everybody until 31 December and some prizes can be won. Two times 20 athletes are proposed as IVANO BRUGNETTI (ITA) Christian candidates for the «Waterford Crystal Eu- Olympic title winner in 20km Walk Olsson ropean Athlete of the Year Trophy 2004». (1:19:40). (SWE) Among them 20 Olympic Champion, Olympic Games 1 15 World Season Bests and three World World Indoor Championships - record holders. World Season List 11 European Season List 8 World Ranking (overall/event) 58/3 Candidates Men FRANCISCO Robert VIRGILIJUS ALEKNA (LTU) JAVIER FERNANDEZ (ESP) Korzeniowski Olympic silver medalist in 20km Walk. Set an Olympic record of 69.89 in the (POL) Olympic Games 2 discus throw to retain his Olympic title. World Indoor Championships - World year leader at 70.97. World Season List 8 Olympic Games 1 European Season List 6 World Indoor Championships - World Ranking (overall/event) 85/6 World Season List 1 World Athletic Final - World Ranking (overall/event) 7/1 World Athletic Final 4 IVAN HESHKO (UKR) STEFANO BALDINI (ITA) Won the World Athletic Final in 1500m Roman and was the fastest European this year. Sebrle Set a course record of 2:10:55 in the clas- Olympic Games - (CZE) sical marathon, to win the Olympic title. World Indoor Championships 2 Earlier in the season, finished 4th in Lon- World Season List 5 don marathon (2:08:37). European Season List 1 Olympic Games 1 World Ranking (overall/event) 42/4 World Indoor Championships - World Athletic Final 1 World Season List - European Season List 2 World Ranking (overall/event) -/4 STEFAN HOLM (SWE) World Athletic Final - Olympic champion in the high jump with 2.36, the world-leading mark of the year YURIY BELONOG (UKR) outdoors. Earlier in the year, won the in- door world title (2.35). World year leader, Olympic champion in the shot put with ZOLTAN KOVAGO (HUN) indoors, at 2.37. 21.16. Olympic Silver medalist in discus and 2nd Olympic Games 1 Olympic Games 1 in the World Athletic Final. World Indoor Championships 1 World Indoor Championships 8 Olympic Games 2 World Season List 1 World Season List 8 World Indoor Championships - European Season List 1 European Season List 3 World Season List 3 World Ranking (overall/event) 19/1 World Ranking (overall/event) -/8 European Season List 3 World Athletic Final 1 World Athletic Final 8 World Ranking (overall/event) -/3 SPAR European Cup 1 World Athletic Final 2 YURIY BORZAKOVSKIY (RUS) Won the Olympic title in 800 (1:44.45). ROBERT KORZENIOWSKI (POL) DENIS NIZHEGORODOV (RUS) Won his 3rd consecutive Olympic title in Also ran 1:43.92, 8th best world perform- Olympic Games silver medallist in 50km 50km Walk (3:38:46), with a victory mar- er of the year. Walk (3:42:50). Earlier, set a world record gin of 4:04. Olympic Games 1 of 3:35:29. Olympic Games 1 World Indoor Championships - Olympic Games 2 World Indoor Championships - World Season List 8 World Indoor Championships - World Season List 2 European Season List 3 World Season List 1 European Season List 2 World Ranking (overall/event) 27/1 European Season List 1 World Ranking (overall/event) 21/1 World Athletic Final - World Ranking (overall/event) -/- World Athletic Final - World Athletic Final - 2 Newsletter of the EAA 3|04 UPDATE Yelena Slesarenko (RUS) CONTEST CHRISTIAN OLSSON (SWE) VADIMS VASILEVSKIS (LAT) Won the Olympic title in the triple jump Olympic silver medalist in javelin. with an outdoor world-leading 17.79. Olympic Games 2 Earlier, equalled the world indoor record World Indoor Championships - (17.83), to win the world indoor title. World Season List 12 Stefan Olympic Games 1 European Season List 10 Holm (SWE) World Indoor Championships 1 World Ranking (overall/event) -/7 Kelly Holmes World Season List 1 World Athletic Final 8 (GBR) European Season List 1 World Ranking (overall/event) 3/1 World Athletic Final 1 Candidates Women SPAR European Cup 1 ELVAN ABEYLEGESSE (TUR) MARIAN OPREA (ROM) Set a world record in 5000 with 14:24.68 Olympic silver medalist in Triple Jump and in June. Performed below par in the Olym- 3rd in the European Season List. pic Games and finished 12th (15:12.64). Tatyana Olympic Games 2 Later, regaining her top form, won the Lebedeva World Indoor Championships 5 IAAF World Athletics Final (14:59.19). (RUS) World Season List 7 Olympic Games - European Season List 3 World Indoor Championships - World Ranking (overall/event) 45/3 World Season List 1 WR World Athletic Final 8 European Season List 1 World Ranking (overall/event) 32/8 ROMAN SEBRLE (CZE) World Athletic Final 1 Won the Olympic title in decathlon (8893 pts, Olympic record), scoring the 5th best SVETLANA FEOFANOVA (RUS) total of all-time. Undefeated in two de- Silver medallist in the Olympic Games in cathlons with 8893 and 8842 pts, top-two the pole vault (4.75). Earlier in the year, Carolina totals of the year. Earlier in the season, set two world records (4.85 indoors, 4.88 Klüft won the world indoor heptathlon title. outdoors). (SWE) Olympic Games 1 Olympic Games 2 World Indoor Championships 1 World Indoor Championships 3 World Season List 1 World Season List 2 Legende European Season List 1 European Season List 2 World Ranking (overall/event) 2/1 World Ranking (overall/event) 8/2 World Athletic Final - World Athletic Final 4 RUI SILVA (POR) FANI HALKIA (GRE) Won Olympic bronze in 1500m and silver Ran an Olympic record of 52.77 in 400 in 3000m at the World Indoor Champion- hurdles, 5th best performer of all-time, to ships.