Countdown
IAAF President Sebastian Coe and Local Organising Committee Vice President Dahlan Al-Hamad shared the stage to formally welcome the world to the Qatari capital on the eve of the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019 at the official IAAF/LOC Press Conference at Khalifa Stadium on Thursday (26).
"These will be one of the largest championships ever," Coe said, citing the latest participation figures: 1972 entries --1054 men and 918 women-- from 208 countries, including 30 authorised neutral athletes and a six-member Athlete Refugee Team. Thirty-seven defending champions and all 30 of this year's IAAF Diamond League champions will also be competing.
The championships will be broadcast to more than 160 territories, Coe added, with a prospective audience of just over one billion.
Coe began his remarks by thanking Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani for hosting the championships and Sheik Joaan Bin Hamad Al-Thani, the LOC President, Al-Hamad and their team for their efforts in organising the year's largest sporting event, and the biggest ever staged in the Middle East.
"Dahlan, you have brought together a young, creative and innovative and tireless team, You have guided them well, you have made the people of Qatar very, very proud. And you've made our sport very, very proud."
Coe said he has high expectations from the latest generation of athletes who are currently making headlines.
“I want the athletes to leave an indelible footprint on the lives, ambitions and aspirations of young people,” Coe said.
“I can't actually remember a time in the sport when I've been so optimistic and excited about young talent coming through. If you look at our top ten lists across every discipline and in every continent, about a quarter of that top-ten that are under the age of 23. The sport is in great shape.”
Al-Hamad thanked the IAAF for its trust in Qatar to stage the championships and addressed the impact he expects the championships to have on his country and the region.
"Through the power of athletics and hosting the IAAF World Athletics Championships we have seen a significant growth in sports across Qatar," Al-Hamad said.
"A growth where more children are competing in more sports, where they are asking questions and learning new skills. All of this is because of the excitement of this competition. These Championships will not last ten days in Doha, it will last for a lifetime. Its legacy will inspire the next generation of sports stars in our country and encourage more young boys and girls to take up athletics, seeing the world of opportunities that sport can bring to them in their lives."
Al-Hamad said ticket sales have been going well and that only 20 percent of the tickets for opening night remain available.
The press conference concluded with the announcement that Asics has extended its partnership with the IAAF through 2029.
IAAF
