GERMAN MEETINGS: BERLIN – ISTAF Berlin athletics meeting popular with athletes: Already 1,000 applications for the 72nd ISTAF!

Berlin – A good three  weeks before the 72nd Berlin International Stadium Festival on the 1th of September 2013 and four days before the IAAF World Championships in Moscow, the oldest and most popular German athletics meeting is heading for a new record. 36,000 tickets are sold already and give the organizers hope for more than 55,000 spectators at Berlin Olympic Stadium.

Very impressive is the number of applications for the 200 starting places: More than 1,000 athletes have already inquired directly or via their managers. The Berlin International Stadium Festival takes place only 14 days after the end of the IAAF World Championships in Moscow. Therefore, many international athletes will be in Europe and do not want to miss the meeting in the most beautiful athletics stadium in the world.

This is playing into the organizers hands, Meeting Director Gerhard Janetzky said: "We are excited about the continued high appeal of our event. Sticking to our concept, we will be closely watching the highlight of the season, the IAAF World Championships and respond to the results there.

Our aim is to present all German medallists and as many of the world champions as possible."

Only a few names have been confirmed so far, like the German stars Robert Harting (Discus Olympic Champion), Björn Otto (Pole vault Olympic silver medalist), David Storl (Shot put world champion) and Betty Heidler (hammer throw world record holder).

With Aries Merritt, American Olympic champion and world record holder over 110 meters hurdles, a superstar is looking forward to competing at the ISTAF: "I would love to run again in Berlin. Last year, I set a new meeting record here and I actually have most of my fans in Germany."

ISTAF tickets are available in five price categories from 9 to 39 Euros on www.istaf.de, by calling the hotline on 030 / 20 60 88 99* and from all CTS ticketing outlets.

Claus Frömming  

ISTAF BERLIN