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IaafNews19 Nov 1998


Athletes of the Year 98 to be selected Saturday and announced at Sunday's Gala

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The World Athletics Gala 98 - organised by the International Athletic Foundation and sponsored by the Compagnie Monégasque de Banque (CMB) and MONDO S.p.A. - will be celebrated on Sunday, 22 November, in the Salle des Etoiles of the Monte Carlo Sporting d’Eté.

During the evening, in the presence of the Honorary President of the Athletic Foundation, HSH Prince Albert of Monaco, the President of the IAAF, Dr Primo Nebiolo, personalities from the world of politics, finance, the arts and show business and some of the most famous champions of our sport, the winners of the prestigious "Athletes of the Year" awards will be proclaimed. A poll has been held among experts around the world to select the best athletes of 1998 and its results will be examined by the Council of the International Athletic Foundation who will decide the winners during a meeting on Saturday, 21 November.

1998 was also the "Year of Women in Athletics" and special homage will be paid to those like Fanny Blankers Koen (NED), Iolanda Balas (ROM), Irena Szewinska (POL), Sara Simeoni (ITA), Ulrike Meyfarth (GER) and Grete Waitz (NOR), who have honoured the role of women both in sport and socially. Ideally, Florence Griffith-Joyner would also have been present with these great champions, but her memory will be with us through her husband Al Joyner and daughter Mary and through some moving footage prepared by renowned director Bud Greenspan.

Bud Greenspan’s Olympic film will also provide the sequences to illustrate the competitive career of another of the greatest athletes of all time: Jackie Joyner-Kersee (USA), to whom the Foundation has decided to discern the "Lifetime Achievement Award", which last year was awarded to Carl Lewis.

But athletics is, of course, also about the future which is why a new "Rising Star Award" has been created. This will be offered to two young hopes, the sensational British sprinter Christian Malcolm and Cuban javelin star Osleidis Menendez, in recognition of their excellent performances this year.

IAAF President, Dr Primo Nebiolo, will give a press conference at 13h00 on Sunday in the "Salle d’Honneur" of Monaco’s Stade Louis II, during which the winners of the Athlete of the Year will be announced. This information will be embargoed for Television, Radio and News Agencies until 20h00 Sunday.

IAAF

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