logo for the István Gyulai Memorial – Hungarian Athletics Grand Prix 2011 (© Gyulai Memorial organisers)
Hungary is back in the world of top international meetings after it launched a new event in honour of former IAAF General Secretary, Istvan Gyulai.
Back to the scene of staging international grand prix meetings after an absence of over 20 years, Hungary’s Ferenc Puskás Stadium opened its doors to a number of international Athletics stars and displayed great enthusiasm for our sport during the newly launched Gyulai Memorial.
It is with great excitement that the world welcomes Hungary back as hosts of top Athletics events. The Istvan Gyulai Memorial was conceived to honour the late IAAF General Secretary, Istvan Gyulai who tragically died in 2006. This inaugural competition saw a long list of stars attending the event both on and off the track.
As Hungary inserts itself back in the international competitions calendar, it displays a strong commitment towards improving the content and structure of Athletics events in the country.
The Gyulai Memorial provides a great platform to promote elite athlete participation on Hungarian soil which, as a result, may trigger the growth of youth participation in Athletics. Furthermore, the event showcases Hungary’s drive to improve its national competitions calendar as well as the quality and appeal of Athletics events in the country.
Finally, as this event attracts elite athletes back to Hungary and increases the appeal of Athletics events in the country, the Gyulai Memorial is a good example of Hungary’s commitment to the Athletics' World Plan and the spirit therein as it strives for transforming Athletics into the country’s number one participatory sport.
How does your organisation work to promote elite athlete participation in national events? If you want to share some of your own experiences please contact us at worldplan@iaaf.org with a short summary, and a member of our editorial team will contact you. Together, we can share in the spirit of the Athletics’ World Plan.