ZÜRICH 2014 – Successful final rehearsal at Letzigrund Stadium

Almost everything was real in this test competition. Except for the stands maybe, which remained empty. And here and there, the arena was being given the finishing touches for the opening of Zürich 2014. The competitors were not contenders for any medals, but athletes who are not yet ready to qualify for the championships.

Great success for Angelica Moser: The 16-year-old pole vaulter cleared 4.32m today. Her result is both a new national U18 and a U20 record. Only seven U18 athletes have ever been able to jump higher. And  her jump catapults her even to the second place in this year’s world top list.

But the athletes were not at the focus of today’s tests. The rehearsal served to examine the organisational procedures for the upcoming competitions. The interactions between TV crews, speakers, officials, volunteers, etc. are a complex affair. Alain Blondel will be the one to keep things firmly in hand, and he will focus on putting his meticulously planned schedule into practice without any flaw or delay.

On Tuesday, when the leading actors – the athletes – and the legendary Letzigrund atmosphere will be added to the scene, the European Athletics Championships can finally get underway. Today’s final rehearsal went well. But tests do not yield any medals.