Groundbreaking ceremony for the Athletes' Village for the 2011 World Championships in Daegu (© LOC)
Daegu, KoreaMembers from the National Assembly of Korea and key national dignitaries arrived in the city of Daegu on 26 March for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Athletes’ Village for the 2011 IAAF World Championships.
Park Jong-geun, chairman of the National Assembly’s “Special Committee to Support International Competitions” expressed his hopes of seeing the Korean national flag being raised during the Awards Ceremony at the 2011 edition of the World Championships. To date, no Korean athlete has ever won a medal at the IAAF World Championships.
Kim Bum-il, mayor of Daegu Metropolitan City and president of the Organizing Committee, thanked the citizens for their enthusiastic support. The mayor emphasized the development of a “Green Village.” Therefore, a solar-powered plant will be constructed in the Athletes’ Village, which will contribute to eco-friendly, energy-efficient housing facilities.
Located in eastern Daegu, the Athletes’ Village is just five minutes away from the Daegu Stadium and overlooks the Geumho River. The Athletes’ Village will feature 2028 rooms capable of housing up to 3500 athletes and team officials, as well as state-of-the-art training facilities.
In addition, high-speed Internet access – which is synonymous with Korea – and other amenities will be installed for the comfort of the residents, such as medical centres and convenience stores, making the Athletes’ Village a ‘home away from home’. Residents in the Athletes’ Village will feel safe and secure with the installation of advanced security systems.
The groundbreaking ceremony, which was organized by the Organizing Committee for the IAAF World Championships, Daegu 2011, featured traditional drum performances, a prayer session and congratulatory speeches from the dignitaries. At the push of a button, the dignitaries released an array of fireworks and balloons.
Venue construction is scheduled to begin in April 2009 and is expected to be completed by March 2011. The IAAF World Championships, Daegu 2011, will be held between August 27th and September 4th.
Sunny Kim for the IAAF
