The Executive Board received an update on the current preparations from the LOC, which reported that their work has been severely compromised by France’s national shutdown of non-essential activities in response to the worldwide coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.

While preparations for Paris 2020 continue fully as planned and according to schedule, a study of possible alternative scenarios for hosting was requested, including potential postponement, and taking into account all the stakeholder opinions including those of partners, athletes as well as related national and local government authorities in France.

France and the Ile de France region around Paris have been particularly hard hit by the pandemic.

In the absence of President Svein Arne Hansen, unable to take part due to health issues, the meeting was led by Dobromir Karamarinov, European Athletics First Vice President and interim President.

“European Athletics and the entire athletics family remain close to Svein Arne and his family in this challenging time and we wish him all the very best for a full recovery.

“It is clear we are currently living in unprecedented times that require us to be flexible, open-minded and realistic. Above all, the health and safety of the athletes, officials, fans, volunteers, staff and everyone involved in European athletics must be our very top priority,” said Karamarinov.

Periklis Iakovakis, Chairman of the Athletes Committee, said that many athletes are keen that the European Championships go ahead as planned.

“To have the light at the end of the tunnel that Paris 2020 may still go ahead is something positive in these extremely hard times. This has been a stressful and confusing period for athletes, we have lost our structure and our sense of normality. We join our larger communities in focusing on the health and well-being of everyone during the Covid-19 outbreak,” commented Iakovakis.

In other decisions, the Executive Board in collaboration with the various LOCs, agreed to postpone both the European 10,000m Cup and European Mountain Running Championships to 2021.

The European Athletics U18 Championships, which was scheduled for 16-19 July in Rieti, Italy will now not take place in 2020. Any new date for the latter event will be communicated in due course.

The Leiria 2020 European Throwing Cup, originally scheduled for 21-22 March in Portugal and postponed earlier this month, is now cancelled.

The European Athletics Council is scheduled to meet by video conference on 7-8 May.

Possible World Athletics Championship postponement

In an interview on Radio 4’s ‘Today’ Programme Dick Pound also highlighted that World Athletics need to consider the timing of the World Athletics Championships due to take place in the summer of 2021 given the postponement of the Olympic Games.

In World Athletics’ own press statement they raise the possibility of moving the championships to the summer of 2022 which in turn would impact on the Commonwealth Games (Birmingham) and European Championship (Munich) due to take place at the same time.

It is clear the effects of a postponed Olympic Games have a big knock on effect for sports administrators’ and athletes’ planning over a much longer period than just one year.

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The IAAF announced on Tuesday (December 4) that Budapest will host the World Athletics Championships in 2023.

Budapest is an experienced organiser of major athletics events, having hosted the IAAF World Indoor Championships in 1989 and 2004, one of just two cities to have staged the event twice. The city has also hosted the European Athletics Championships on two occasions, in 1966 and 1998.

More recently, Budapest hosted the FINA World Swimming Championships and the World Judo Championships in 2017 and has been awarded the title of European Capital of Sport for 2019.

“In the past 30 years Hungary has organised every single world and European Championships, indoor and out – on the road, cross country – available to us except for the World Athletics Championships, and we are incredibly proud that this collection will be complete in just under five years’ time,” said Marton Gyulai, CEO of the Bid Committee for Budapest 2023.

A key component of the bid is the construction of a new stadium that will serve primarily as an athletics facility.

The new stadium will be built on the eastern bank of the Danube River on the city’s south side, with a capacity of 40,000 for the championships, which will be reduced to 15,000 for future events.

“We are delighted to award the 2023 World Athletics Championships to Budapest in Hungary, a country of extraordinary athletic tradition and great experience in organising world-class sports events,” said IAAF President Seb Coe. “It has been the scene of some of our greatest moments as a sport. We are excited about their plans for a new stadium that will become a great legacy for athletics.”

Budapest is the first IAAF World Championships host to be named under the new bidding process announced in February 2017 through which the IAAF assesses its strategic goals for growing the sport, targeting cities from countries and regions which will best assist in delivery of those aims. The aim is to create a true partnership matching the hopes and ambitions of potential hosts with those of the IAAF.

“We have been trying to become a partner for the IAAF as opposed to just a bidding city. As part of that process we have also been able to offer advice on seeing from the outside of things how things can be fine-tuned,” Gyulai added.

The Council also considered a bid from Australia to host the 2021 World Cross Country Championships but no decision was reached.

“We had an initial presentation from Athletics Australia outlining a proposed bid concept,” Coe said. “The Council requested further development of aspects of this bid concept.”

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As well as the midnight marathon, the competition timetable for the World Championships in Doha 2019, published on Friday (May 4), includes a revamped schedule that removes all morning sessions and split evening sessions, which should help combat the high temperatures in the Qatar capital.

One-hour intervals will be incorporated into each session which organisers hope will “combine entertainment and family-centred activities with the excitement of the competitive action”.

The first-ever midnight marathon at a major championships will take place along Doha’s waterfront, with lights along the entire route and the city’s night skyline in the backdrop.

Before the 2019 championships, organisers will gain experience in hosting the world’s first night-time MotoGP race at Lusail International Circuit.

There will also be late starts for other events including the women’s 100m and men’s 400m hurdles at 11.20pm, and the final events in the heptathlon and decathlon at 12.05am 12.15am respectively.

“It is our ambition to organise an innovative, creative and exciting event that inspires and engages new fans, new athletes and new audiences and maximises the full potential of our region’s first-ever IAAF World Championships,” said Vice Chairman and Director General of the Local Organising Committee and IAAF Vice President Dahlan Al Hamad. “We are very excited to unveil, in partnership with the IAAF, the new competition schedule and night marathon format today.

“These will enable us to showcase the sport like never seen before, capturing the attention of young people in Qatar and around the world and connecting them to the contagious excitement of athletics.”

Meanwhile, IAAF President Seb Coe said: “It is exciting to see the way the World Championships are being developed and adapted to the host country and region mixing world-class competition with an ambitious entertainment and engagement plan that we hope will delight athletes, spectators and viewers around the world.

“We have some great World Championship firsts as well. The first 4x400m mixed relay will have its global debut ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, the first midnight marathon, the evening sessions with semi-finals and finals only and dedicated slots in the timetable for the final stages of field events allowing full focus on the decisive and most thrilling moments and attempts.”

The competition schedule can be found here.

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European Athletics President Svein Arne Hansen said he is ‘convinced’ that the 2023 World Championships should be in Europe after Doha in 2019 and Eugene in 2021 respectively.

“As shown by the spectacular success of the recent World Championships in London, Europe is the centre of the athletics world and our athletes and fans deserve the stage we can provide in any number of cities in 2023,” said Hansen.

After the Doha World Championships in 2019, and Eugene in 2021 it will be the first time the World Championships are held outside of Europe for two consecutive editions.

“The IAAF must follow these two editions by ensuring 2023 is awarded to a city in Europe, especially taking into account it has now switched to a more targeted approach to event allocation instead of official bidding.

“Everyone in our European Athletics family understands how important it is for our global showpiece event to be hosted on our continent at regular intervals. This not only provides the ideal stage for excellent performances from the world’s top athletes but also has a positive impact on television audiences and commercial income.

“We need to keep developing the sport here in Europe and everyone agrees the World Championships is the best tool for doing so,” said Hansen.

At the 149th Council meeting at the House of European Athletics in Lausanne, Switzerland, the Members agreed that a large number of proposed changes to the Constitution be put to vote at the upcoming Congress in Vilnius, Lithuania on 14 October.

Erich Teigamägi, the Council Member who led the Constitutional Review Working Group, said: “The CORE (Constitutional Review) Working Group have worked diligently on the review over the past year to ensure we are in line with the IAAF Constitution in terms of good governance and that our Constitution is a modern document in line with the times.”

President Hansen said: “Very importantly, a key proposed amendment is that from the 2019 Congress there will be at least one male and female among the President and three Vice Presidents, with at least two from each gender from 2027; and that among the 13 other Council Members, from the 2019 Congress we have at least three from each gender, from 2023 at least five from each gender, and from 2027 at least six from each gender.”

The Council also received updates on the programme for the upcoming Congress-Convention in the Lithuanian capital.

On the back of the success of Europe at the World Championships in London, European Athletics has invited all European gold-medal winners to attend the Golden Tracks awards ceremony on the evening of 14 October, where the European Athletes of the Year and Rising Stars are recognised.

“For an athlete to become world champion is an amazing achievement and European Athletics is very proud of what they did in London. We understand and appreciate the dedication and passion they give to our sport and so we would like to recognise their feats at our Golden Tracks awards,” said Hansen.

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McColgan, contending with the heat and humidity of the Japanese capital posted a time of 31:14.31 to finish ahead of Chinese duo Zhong Huandi and Wang Xiuting.

It was Great Britain’s only gold medal at the championships and came two months after she became the first British woman to run under 31 minutes for 10,000m, posting 30:57.07, a Scottish record still to this day.

Watch Liz McColgan 10000m gold winning performace.

Prior to Toyko, the British and Scottish great, won 10,000m gold at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh in 1986 and repeated the feat four years later in Auckland.

McColgan also clinched a silver medal at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul.

The fantastic post race interview.

Away from the track, McColgan went on to win the inaugural World Half Marathon Championships in 1992 which was incorporated into the Great North Run that year, posting a time of 1:08.53.

In the same year, McColgan returned to the city where she became the 10,000m world champion, to claim the marathon title, and four years later she won the London Marathon.

In 1997, back at the London Marathon, McColgan finished second, running a life time best of 2:26.52, which is still a Scottish record.

The post Running Greats: Liz Mc Colgan Becomes World 10,000m Champion in 1991 appeared first on Fast Running.

1. At the inaugural World Championships in 1983, Irish great Eamonn Coghlan won gold in the 5000m.

2. Eleven athletes will represent Ireland at the World Championships in London 2017 – they are: Ciara Mageean, Mark English, Thomas Barr, Brian Gregan, Siofra Cleirigh-Buttne, Alex Wright, Brendan Boyce, Robert Heffernan, Mick Clohisey, Sean Heir and Claire McCarthy. (Paul Pollock misses out due to injury)

3. At the 2015 World Championships in Beijing, Ireland sent a team of sixteen athletes (including men’s 4x400m team).

4. In 1993 Sonia O’Sullivan won the silver medal in the 1,500m in Stuttgart.

5. At the 1995 World Championships in Gothenburg Sonia O’Sullivan then won her 2nd World Championships medal, this time gold in the 5,000m.

6. Ireland has won three race walking medals at the World Championships. Gillian O’Sullivan and Olive Loughnane picked up 20K silver medals in 2003 and 2009 respectively. In 2013 Rob Heffernan won Ireland’s first gold medal since Sonia O’Sullivan’s 5,000m gold.

7. Ireland has won six medals at all World Championships combined.

8. Ireland’s state broadcaster, RTE, will not be showing live coverage of this year’s World Championships. Live coverage options for Irish fans include BBC, Eurosport or the IAAF’s official live stream.

9. London 2017 will be Mark English’s third consecutive World Championships.

10. Rob Heffernan made his first World Championships appearance in 2001 and has gone on to compete in six World Championships. The World Championships in London will make it an impressive seventh for the 2013 world champion.

The post 10 Irish World Championships facts appeared first on Fast Running.

In what is expected to be his last track races, World Champion Mo Farah, will aim to defend his 5000m and 10,000m titles in London, going for an unprecedented fourth straight world title in the 5000m, and a hat-trick of 10,000m world titles.

Scottish star Laura Muir has been confirmed for both the 1500m and 5,000m.

Also announced for two events at the World Championships is Katarina Johnson-Thompson. The British high jump recorder holder will compete in the heptathlon and high jump.

Despite withdrawing from the Anniversary Games in London due to injury, reigning long jump world champion Greg Rutherford has also been named in the 78 strong GB team.

Sprinter Adam Gemili misses out on a 200m place, but has been selected in the 4x100m relay squad.

British Athletics Performance Director, Neil Black said: “This feels bigger for us than Rio. London 2017 is the major global sporting event this year and will be the biggest occasion the country has seen since 2012. We’ve selected some incredibly talented athletes, and in many events there have been some close calls. It’s now up to them to grasp this opportunity and produce performances that will make the whole nation proud.”

In the men’s marathon, Andrew Davies has replaced the injured Robbie Simpson.

The Great Britian team for the 2017 IAAF World Championships:

MEN:
100m:
Reece Prescod (Jonas Tawiah-Dodoo)
James Dasaolu (Lloyd Cowan)
CJ Ujah (Stuart McMillan)

200m:
Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (Dennis Shaver)
Danny Talbot (Benke Blomkvist)
Zharnel Hughes (Patrick Dawson)

400m:
Matt Hudson-Smith (Tony Hadley)
Dwayne Cowan (Lloyd Cowan)
Martyn Rooney (Graham Hedman)

800m: 
Elliot Giles (Jon Bigg)
Guy Learmonth (Henry Gray)
Kyle Langford (Jon Bigg)

1500m:
Chris O’Hare (Terrence Mahon)
Josh Kerr (Joe Franklin)
Jake Wightman (Geoff Wightman)

5000m: 
Mo Farah (Alberto Salazar)
Andrew Butchart (Derek Easton)

10,000m:
Mo Farah (Alberto Salazar)

3000m steeplechase:
Rob Mullett (Andrew and Amy Begley)
Zak Seddon (Jeff Seddon)

110m hurdles: 
Andrew Pozzi (Benke Blomkvist)
David King (James Hillier)
David Omoregie (Benke Blomkvist)

400m hurdles:
Jack Green (self-coached)

High Jump: 
Robbie Grabarz (Fuzz Caan)

Long Jump: 
Greg Rutherford (Dan Pfaff)

Triple Jump:
Nathan Fox (Tosin Oke)

Hammer:
Nick Miller (Tore Gustafsson)

Decathlon:
Ashley Bryant (Aston Moore)

20km Race Walk:
Tom Bosworth (Andi Drake)
Callum Wilkinson (Andi Drake)

50km Race Walk:
Dominic King (George Nibre)

Marathon Men:
Callum Hawkins (coach: Robert Hawkins)
Josh Griffiths (self-coached)
Andrew Davies (Steve Vernon)

4x100m relay:
CJ Ujah (Stuart McMillan)
Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (Dennis Shaver)
Danny Talbot (Benke Blomkvist)
Zharnel Hughes (Patrick Dawson)
Adam Gemili (Rana Reider)
Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (Benke Blomkvist)
Richard Kilty (Kevin Kilty)
Reece Prescod (Jonas Tawiah-Dodoo)

4x400m relay:
Matt Hudson-Smith (Tony Hadley)
Dwayne Cowan (Lloyd Cowan)
Martyn Rooney (Graham Hedman)
Delano Williams (Neil Harrison)
Rabah Yousif (Carol Williams)
Jack Green (self-coached)
Cameron Chalmers (James Hillier)

WOMEN:
100m:
Asha Philip (Steve Fudge)
Daryll Neita (Jonas Tawiah-Dodoo)
Desiree Henry (Rana Reider)

200m:
Shannon Hylton (Ryan Freckleton)
Bianca Williams (Lloyd Cowan)
Dina Asher-Smith (John Blackie)

400m: 
Zoey Clark (Eddie McKenna)
Emily Diamond (Jared Deacon)
Anyika Onuora (Rana Reider)

800m:
Shelayna Oskan-Clarke (Jon Bigg)
Adelle Tracey (Craig Winrow)
Lynsey Sharp (Terrence Mahon)

1500m:
Laura Muir (Andy Young)
Laura Weightman (Steve Cram)
Jessica Judd (Mick Judd)
Sarah McDonald (David Harmer)

5000m:
Steph Twell (Mick Woods)
Eilish McColgan (Liz McColgan-Nuttall)
Laura Muir (Andy Young)

10,000m:
Beth Potter (Mick Woods)
Jessica Martin (Josep Carballude)
Charlotte Taylor (Helen Lehman-Winters)

3000m steeplechase:
Rosie Clarke (David Harmer)

100m hurdles:
Tiffany Porter (Jeff Porter)

400m hurdles:
Eilidh Doyle (Brian Doyle)

High Jump:
Morgan Lake (Fuzz Caan)
Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Bertrand Valcin)

Pole Vault:
Holly Bradshaw (Scott Simpson)

Long Jump:
Lorraine Ugen (Shawn Jackson)

Discus:
Jade Lally (Andrew Neal)

Hammer:
Sophie Hitchon (Tore Gustafsson)

Heptathlon:
Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Bertrand Valcin)

20km Race Walk:
Gemma Bridge (Mark Wall)
Bethan Davies (Andi Drake)

Marathon Women:
Alyson Dixon (self-coached)
Charlotte Purdue (Nic Bideau)
Tracy Barlow (Nick Anderson)

4x100m relay:
Asha Philip (Steve Fudge)
Daryll Neita (Jonas Tawiah-Dodoo)
Desiree Henry (Rana Reider)
Dina Asher-Smith (John Blackie)
Shannon Hylton (Ryan Frekleton)
Bianca Williams (Lloyd Cowan)
Corinne Humphreys (Darren Braithwaite)

4x400m:
Zoey Clark (Eddie McKenna)
Emily Diamond (Jared Deacon)
Anyika Onuora (Rana Reider)
Eilidh Doyle (Brian Doyle)
Laviai Nielsen (Frank Adams)
Perri Shakes-Drayton (Chris Zah)

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