MEDIA GUIDE - European Athletics

22nd European Athletics Junior
Championships
Rieti, Raul Guidobaldi Stadium
European Athletics President’s Welcome Message
We are delighted to be back in Italy for the 22nd edition of the
European Athletics Junior Championships. The city of Rieti will
follow on from Grosseto which hosted a memorable championships
back in 2001.
Rieti is a town steeped in the sport and is an excellent choice for
Europe’s new generation of emerging stars to showcase their
talent. Stadio Raul Guidobaldi stages one of the world’s top
athletics meetings every year in early September, and has also
built a tradition of having a track, re-laid last summer, that produces fine performances. It
is sure to witness many more during the four days of this year’s Championships.
The European Athletics Junior Championships is extremely important for the development
of athletics in Europe. Throughout each of the previous 21 editions we have had the
cream of European junior athletic talent battling for supremacy in their age group and
this year is sure to be no different. Many have moved on from these championships to
glittering success at the European Athletics Championships, World Championships and
Olympic Games at senior level.
If you look back at the list of gold medallists in Grosetto 12 years ago, you will come
across names such as Yelena Isinbayeva, Mo Farah, Carolina Klüft, Krisztian Pars. These
names need no introduction today. There were also plenty of latter day stars who did not
hear their national anthem played in Grosseto – Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen and Russia’s
Anna Chicherova both finished with a silver, while Croatia’s Blanka Vlasic and Betty
Heidler of Germany, who both went on to become world champions before the end of
the decade, had modest sixth and ninth places in the high jump and hammer respectively.
This just underlines how important a role these championships have played in shaping
the career of some of the stars of the sports.
Rieti has excellent facilities for the athletes and I have no doubt that there will be a great
atmosphere at the stadium in July.
European Athletics greatly appreciates the efforts of the Italian athletics federation
(FIDAL), the City of Rieti and the local organising committee in the preparation for the
Championships.
We are looking forward to seeing you in Rieti in July for four days of exciting athletics
competition.
Hansjörg Wirz
European Athletics President
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