Ostrava logo (© c)
Monte In two weeks time, nearly 1500 youth athletes will travel to Ostrava to take part in their first ever World Championships and yet it won’t all be about winning medals and improving personal bests. It will also be about building friendships with their rivals from every corner of the world, and learning about the ethical values that enhance our sport.
With this in mind, the IAAF is pleased to offer yet another unique experience to all the youth athletes who will take part in the 5th IAAF World Youth Championships in Ostrava, 11-15 July.
For 2 days, the young athletes will have the pleasure of being with, talking to and learning from athletes who have been Olympic champions, World champions or World record holders.
The Ostrava Masterclass will take place on 9 and 10 July and will include motivational speeches from no fewer than seven IAAF Ambassadors, an Anti-Doping Workshop and a couple of warm up sessions with some of the sport’s all-time greatest athletes.
Global champions Ludmila Formanova, Sarka Kasparkova, Wilson Kipketer, Steve Ovett, Svetlana Masterkova, Marie José Pérec, and Jan Zelezny will be in Ostrava with no other purpose than that of sharing their experience and knowledge with the next generation.
They will address topics such as: Training – short term targets and long term planning; Life after Athletics – don’t sacrifice your studies!; Coping with obstacles – how to overcome injuries and difficult times; World Championships and Olympic Games – how to cope with the pressure and much more.
IAAF Ambassadors in Ostrava
LUDMILA FORMANOVA of Czech Republic, 800m
World champion (1999)
World Indoor champion (1999)
European Indoor champion (1998)
SARKA KASPARKOVA of Czech Republic, Triple Jump
World champion (1997)
Olympic bronze medallist (1996)
European silver medallist (1998)
WILSON KIPKETER of Denmark, 800m
Three-time World champion (1995, 1997, 1999)
World Indoor champion (1997), European champion (2002)
World Indoor and World Outdoor record holder
SVETLANA MASTERKOVA of Russia, 800m and 1500m
Double Olympic champion (1996)
World Champion (1999)
World record breaker
STEVE OVETT of Great Britain, 800m and 1500m
Olympic champion (1980)
European champion (1978)
Multiple World record breaker
MARIE-JOSÉ PEREC of France, 200m and 400m
Three-time Olympic champion (1992, 1996)
Two-time World champion (1991, 1995)
European champion (1994)
JAN ZELEZNY of Czech Republic, Javelin Throw
Three-time Olympic champion (1992, 1996, 2000)
Three-time World champion (1993, 1995, 2001)
World record holder