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News25 Feb 2006


Latest IAAF Development news

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MonteCarloIn the latest of our occasion series of stories concerning the IAAF’s Development strategy here is a summary of the most recent news.

“Raising the standards of European Distance Runners” – IAAF Clinic/Workshop

They were dominating the world’s middle and long distance scene: Lasse Viren, FIN, double Olympic Champion 1972 and 1976 in the 5000m and 10,000m, Lord Seb Coe, GBR, two- time Olympic gold medal winner over the 1500 in 1980 and 1984, the Spaniard Fermin Cacho, 1500m Olympic Champion in 1992…the list of great European champions is long and illustrious.

But are European distance-running success stories just matters of the past, which will not be achieved again in the future due to the dominance of African distance powerhouses? Ethiopia and Kenya, as well as some smaller African countries like Eritrea, Uganda, and Tanzania, have come to share the medals among themselves in the distances from 1500 to the marathon.

“It is not a matter of being born with some specific African gene that makes you a top athlete and a medal candidate in the middle and long distances, but rather a matter of motivation, attitude and training,” stated Elio Locatelli, IAAF Member Services Department Director.

Therefore, the IAAF has initiated a clinic/workshop for coaches and athletes with the title “Raising standards of European distance runners” which will take place on the eve of the 10th European Cup 10,000m in Antalya, Turkey on 14 April 2006. Former European distance running champions as well as experienced coaches from Europe as well as from Kenya will be invited to talk about their experiences.

New HPTC in Cuba

It is expected that the IAAF’s worldwide network of High Performance Training Centres (HPTCs) might grow in the near future. Elio Locatelli, Member Services Department Director, together with the Director of the Regional Development Centre in Puerto Rico, Lenford Levy, have inspected and evaluated the facility in Havana, Cuba, as proposed by the Federacion Cubana de Atletismo.

The eighth IAAF HPTC will be in the Cuban capital of Havana. Levy stated that “one of the objectives of this centre is to not only improve Cuban athletics, but also to assist other less developed countries in Central America and the Caribbean.”

Through the patronage of the IAAF and thanks to the Olympic Solidarity Fund, athletes from various Latin American countries will be able to apply for scholarship to practice at the Cuban HPTC.

The HPTC in Havana will, based on the great success stories of Cuban athletes at Olympic Games and World Championships, focus on the sprint and 400m Hurdles, the Hammer and Javelin Throw and the jumps.

The other HPTC’s are in Eldoret (KEN), Dakar (SEN), Kuala Lumpur (MAS), Kingston (JAM), Mauritius (MRI), Oceania (NZL), and South America (BRA).


New Director of RDC Oceania

Australian Reginald Brandis was appointed Director of the Regional Development Centre (RDC) Oceania which was relocated from Adelaide to Brisbane recently. Brandis is also a member of the International Technical Official (ITO) Panel 2006-2009. He will start his position on 1 March, 2006. The Deputy Director will be Peter Wilson.

The RDC Oceania is located on the campus of the University of Queensland in the Queensland Sport and Athletic Centre.

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