Ten candles for a virtuoso performance – Inside Paris’ Ile de France ground on Friday 18th July 2008 the Meeting Gaz de France Paris Saint-Denis will see a mixture of the past, the present and the future.

The greatest meeting in France is celebrating its tenth anniversary at the Stade de France on Friday 18th July 2008. On the programme for the Golden League meeting, a gilt-edged line-up, unique entertainment, and a star-studded cast of former Olympic champions. A fine, albeit it rare summer’s evening of athletics – guaranteed to appeal to one and all and certainly not to be missed…

Inside Paris’ Ile de France ground on Friday 18th July 2008 the Meeting Gaz de France Paris Saint-Denis will see a mixture of the past, the present and the future. For its tenth anniversary at the Stade de France, the meeting will play host to the celebrities of times gone by as well as the top names of tomorrow, amidst an atmosphere of pleasure and emotion, pizzazz and festivity, excited furore and passion.

Registered in fourth position in the Golden League calendar, after Berlin, Oslo and Rome, and prior to Zurich and Brussels, the French meeting will be presenting one of its finest line-ups. “We are certainly better placed in the season than in previous years, explains Gérard Rousselle, the director of the meeting. The Americans will have finished their selection for the Olympics and, like everyone else, they’ll be coming to Saint-Denis as one of the last opportunities to test themselves and weigh up their competition prior to the start of the Beijing Games.”
The result is a thrilling line-up: a much awaited match between Tyson Gay and Asafa Powell in the 100 m, the duo currently in great shape judging by the latest performances of these two champions. Furthermore Jeremy Wariner will be running the 400 m, Dayron Robles will vie with Ladji Doucouré in the 110 m hurdles, Romain Mesnil and Jérôme Clavier against Australians Paul Burgess and Steven Hooker in the pole vault, Irving Saladino, Andrew Howe in the long-jump, in a re-make of the last world championships, Christine Arron and Muriel Hurtis up against Sanya Richards in the 200 m, Adriana Lamalle and Reina-Flor Okori opposite Susanna Kallur and the American armada in the 100 m hurdles, the two Kenyan sensations in the 800 m, Janeth Jepkosgei and Pamela Jelimo, Tirunesh Dibaba in the 5000 m, as well as Blanka Vlasic in the high jump.

Ten years, ten Olympic champions

However, the organisers were keen for the tenth anniversary of the Stade de France meeting to have a more formal air too. Ten former Olympic champions among those headlining in the Golden League events, will be making the journey to Paris. A gallery of ‘immortals’ including Canadian Donovan Bailey (100 m), Moroccan Hicham El Guerrouj (1500 m), Americans Michael Johnson (400 m) and Bob Beamon (long jump), the Czech Jan Zelezny (javelin) and Russian Svetlana Masterkova (800 m). They will be accompanied by French gold medallists, including Guy Drut, Pierre Quinon and Jean Galfione, who will be presented to the public, before going on to play the masters of ceremony in their own events on the track.
Open at 1740 hrs for a national meeting, the international meeting will begin at 1945 hrs. It will conclude at 2200 hrs with a mini concert by singer Nädiya.

NÂDIYA, for a thrilling mix of styles

She could almost have taken the start of the 800 m, but in reality Nâdiya won't be appearing in the Stade de France ground to run. Indeed the French R’n’B star will be bringing the competition to a close with a concert in which she will be performing five of her hit songs in yet another way of celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Meeting Gaz de France Paris Saint-Denis. “We wanted to mark the occasion by celebrating this anniversary, explains Gérard Rousselle, the director of the meeting. It’s a change from the traditional firework display.”
The choice of performer was nothing to do with chance. “Her past as a top level athlete particularly appealed to us, confirms the organiser. It’s a real bonus for us as well as the spectators. However, we also wanted to present an artist who brings all the generations together.”

Though everyone knows Nâdiya the singer, few have heard of Nadia the athlete. Pushed into athletics by her PE teacher, who spotted the young woman’s potential, Nadia Zighem got a membership to the A3 Tours club at a very early age. In 1989, she became Junior Champion of France in the 800 m, with a time of 2’15’’08. She performed equally as well the following year, whilst simultaneously being selected for the French Junior team. Today aged 35, she has forgotten nothing of her sporty past. “For me athletics was an unparalleled school of life, explains the performer of the hit “Parle moi”. Thanks to sport, I learnt never to quit and never to give up.”
Nevertheless, music has been her thing for as long as she can remember. “As a little girl, I had the broom in my hand and I sang in front of the mirror, she recalls. Later on, it was in the club bus or in the changing rooms… As with athletics, I always believed in it.” At 20, she put down her spikes and set off to try her luck in Paris. Spotted during the programme “Graines de Star”, she released her first single in 1997 and experienced an apotheosis in 2004 with her second album, 16/9, with sales of nearly 500,000 copies.
On Friday 18th July she’ll kick off the first notes of "Happy Birthday” during the pre-meeting entertainment.

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All the latest info at www.meetinggazdefrance.com
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The evening programme:
17:30 Opening of the gates
17:40 National meeting
19:15 10th anniversary entertainment
19:45 International Meeting
22:00 Nädiya Mini Concert

Ticketing : Buy your tickets now!
Reserve your seats for the Meeting right now
Prices :
– At the finish line: 70 euros
– Category 1: 40 euros
– Category 2: 30 euros
– Category 3: 20 euros

There are three ways to book:
(1) At Stadefrance.com
(2) Via the usual networks and retail outlets (Fnac – Carrefour – Auchan – Virgin – Leclerc – Géant)
(3) By telephone on 0892 700 900 (0.34 euro/min)

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Gaz de France has accompanied the French Athletics Federation for 17 years and the National League since its creation in 2006, working towards the development of this sport. The Group also accompanies around twenty top level athletes throughout their career within its Team Athlé (Athletics Team).
Within the framework of its commitment, and to enable both the elite and the juniors alike to size each other up each year against the greatest international stars, Gaz de France is also a partner to numerous of the most prestigious athletics events in France at the Meeting Gaz de France Paris Saint-Denis. Again this year thousands of youngsters from associations supported by the Regional Delegations of Gaz de France, will be able to attend the best athletics has to offer, within the framework of the operation "Découvre l'athlé au Stade de France” (Discover athletics at the Stade de France) organised by the group.