European Athletics (EAA) – News – President Wirz: \’I am convinced that anyone watching these Championships will not be disappointed\‘

European Athletics President Hansjörg Wirz spoke at a press conference ahead of the 2011 European Athletics Under 23 Championships in the Czech city of Ostrava on Wednesday.

He gave an insight into the rationale for the Championships and unveiled some of the pertinent statistics relating to this year’s event.

“This event, along with the European Athletics Junior Championships, gives important support to a new generation of athletes,” said President Wirz.

“We have this particular competition every second year and it prepares athletes in the long run for senior competition. With the European Athletics Championships now also every second year, we at European Athletics can now offer developing athletes regular competition almost every year, from the juniors to under 23s and then to the seniors, so that they have every opportunity to reach the top.

“I think that the national federations have also understood this situation, which is why we have such high calibre competitors here in Ostrava and I expect a very high level competition.

“We are the only continent that has an under 23 competition like this, but I think we at European Athletics now know how important it is in the development of an athlete and what it means for our sport in Europe.

“I think we can be very happy for what we have current achieved and we are also happy at what the national federations are also doing to support these Championships and providing support to their own athletes.

“I am convinced that anyone watching these Championships will not be disappointed,” he added.

President Wirz revealed that 42 of European Athletics’ Member Federations had sent athletes to Ostrava and that there would be approximately 950 competitors in action in the next four days, until the Championships come to a close on Sunday.

Thanks to the continued involvement of the European Broadcasting Union as a partner to European Athletics, the 2011 European Athletics U23 Championships will be shown on television in at least 59 countries.

Additionally, for the first time in the history of the event, the entire Championships will be streamed live (with the exception of the two 20km walks on Sunday morning which will be shown as highlights) from www.european-athletics.org.

There will be no territorial blocking on the website so athletics fans, from Austria to Zimbabwe, will be able to watch the event on the internet.
 

European Athletics (EAA) – News