Excitement
builds as Edmonton prepares to welcome the World
Sean Wallace-Jones for the IAAF
28 July 2001 – Edmonton, Alberta – The final countdown has started and
with just 5 days to go to the opening ceremony of the 8th IAAF World
Championships in Athletics there is a buzz of excitement in the air as Edmonton prepares
to welcome the World.
The city is bedecked with Edmonton 2001 banners and the windows of stores and restaurants in every quarter carry their own particular welcome to the thousands of athletes, media, officials and visitors who will come here to participate in, report on and simply enjoy ten days of exciting competition.
And the athletes from around the world will all find supporters in this multi-cultural, multi-ethnic city that has over the decades welcomed immigrants from every continent into the community. Somewhere around a hundred different nationalities have settled here and make this an extremely cosmopolitan city and they will all be rooting for the athletes from their respective "old countries" as the competition starts with the men’s marathon as the lead-in to the opening ceremony.
Every one of Edmonton’s main streets is filled with fluttering flags and benches in the street are decorated with panels proclaiming "the way Edmonton sees the Worlds".
But perhaps the most welcoming combination of signage can be found at one of the ornamental arches leading to the city’s Chinatown. Here, at the junction of the Avenue of Nations flags adorn the supporting pillars, while the main arch bears the legend "The Gate of Happy Arrival".
