China to host 2015 IAAF World Championships
IAAF Council has announced that Beijing has been awarded the hosting of the 2015 IAAF World Championships. The decision of the IAAF Council for allowing the Chinese capital to host the 15thedition of the Championships would once again bring the athletics back to the impressive and dazzling “Bird’s Nest” Stadium which had been the central point of the Olympic Games held in 2008.
IAAF President Lamine Diack, while making the announcement of the decision of the council said: “To help build up sport and the culture of athletics in a country of 1.6 billion inhabitants is a great opportunity. As we sometimes say, China is not a country, it’s a continent. So this is a fantastic opportunity for our sport and for the sport in China.”
Beijing, which happens to be the home of about 17 million people, would become the fourth city in Asia to host the IAAF World Championships; the third largest sport event in the world. Before Beijing, Tokyo hosted the event in 1991 while Osaka enjoyed the privilege in 2007. Daegu is making the preparations to host next year’s event.
While sharing his views for brining the event to Beijing, Diack added: “Beijing hosted a very successful World Junior Championships for us in 2006 and then of course a very memorable Olympics Games in 2008. So this provides a great opportunity to showcase the championships in the best possible light in China.” While commenting upon the honor given to his city, Liu Jingmin, the Vice Mayor of Beijing was of the view that 2015 championships would be the most important sporting event for China since the 2008 Olympic Games. “We thank you for your trust. We will deliver a high standard event in Beijing which will open a new chapter in Championships’ standards” added the Vice Mayor.
China’s successful bid to bag the hosting of the 2015 World Champions has marked the last phase of its commitment to add to and enhance its athletics legacy. The seriousness of the Chinese government regarding athletics can be depicted from the fact that it made it clear since the early 1980’s that athletics was the fundamental sport of the country with great influence, owing to which it had become necessary for the country to improve the national athletics program so that the stage for the significant growth and visibility of the sport could be set in the country.
To encourage its athletics community further, the General Administration of Sport of China had positioned athletics as a focus sport in 2002. Continuing its commitment with athletics, Beijing had hosted the IAAF World Junior Championships in 2006 where athletes from 180 nations around the world ensured their participation. Beijing has also had the privilege of hosting numerous IAAF Race Walking events, including the Race Walking Challenge Final held in 2010, the Beijing International Marathon which enjoys the status of an IAAF Gold Label Road Race. The Beijing Marathon celebrated its 30th running this year.
Duan Shijie, the Chairman of the Chinese Athletics Association was quite happy upon winning the bid to host the big event in 2015. While talking to the media personnel he was of the view that their bid to host the highest profile athletics competition in the world would serve to further promote the development of athletics across the world.
While talking to the media, Guo Jinlong, the Mayor of Beijing claimed that hosting a world athletics championships event was an aspiration shared by all citizens of Beijing, which, according to him would facilitate the development of athletics in Beijing and in China as a whole. He expressed the hopes that this would advance the cooperation between China and the rest of the World.
The IAAF Council also revealed the championships event for 2011 would take place in Daegu, Korea, while Moscow would host the 14th edition of the event in 2013.
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