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News25 Apr 2000


2000 World Athletics Day towards Edmonton 2001

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2000 World Athletics Day toward Edmonton 2001

In 1996, the IAAF organised the first annual World Athletics Day to unite youngsters around the world in a spirit of competition and common endeavour. Hundreds and thousands of junior athletes participated in athletics competitions on this occasion and learned the right to participate in a draw which took two boys and two girls from each IAAF continental area to see the world’s top athletes competing at the Atlanta Olympics (1996).

The yearly editions since then have been equally successful. For its 5th consecutive year, the IAAF World Athletics Day is once again expected to be one of the largest mass participation sports events in the world this year.

With hundreds of thousands of youngsters expected to participate in 150 countries around the world, the IAAF 2000 World Athletics Day – Towards Edmonton 2001 will take place on Sunday 7 May in most participating countries.

The World Athletics Day is mainly for Junior athletes aged 18 & 19 and is aimed at developing enthusiasm and passion for our sport by enabling promising young talents to live unforgettable experiences at various IAAF World Championship Events.

In the four previous editions, 24 youngsters - 2 boys and 2 girls from each of the IAAF’s six Continental Areas - have won a trip to a major international athletics event: the 1996 Atlanta Olympics; the 1997 World Championships in Athens and the 1998 IAAF World Cup in Johannesburg and the 1999 IAAF World Championships in Sevilla.

This year, the format changes slightly as from 2000 onwards, World Athletics Day winners will attend the IAAF’s World Championships in Athletics which take place once every two years. While the annual World Athletics Day competition is maintained, only 1 boy and 1 girl from each continental area will be selected per year. This year’s draw, yet to be confirmed, will probably take place in Sydney on the occasion of the IAAF Council Meeting after which the twelve lucky youngsters will be informed of their pending trip to the 8th World Championships in Athletics from 3 – 12 August 2001 in Edmonton, Canada. A further twelve winners will be drawn in 2001 to complete the group. 

WAD in figures

Participating Countries
1996: 164
1997: 160
1998: 169
1999: 157
2000: 150 (projected)

Remembering Mark
Mark Williams (GUY), World Athletics Day winner in 1996 passed away last year, run down by a car as he crossed the road in front of his home in Guyana.

The sad news struck the whole IAAF Family and staff who had the chance to meet Mark who was a very sensitive and intelligent young man. Mark and his mother Joan, an active official of the Guyana Athletics Federation showed gratitude to the IAAF for offering Mark the opportunity to attend the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta where he met some of his role models such as Ato Boldon, Michael Johnson and Jon Drummond. President Nebiolo himself kept on his desk a picture portraying himself and young Mark in Atlanta 1996.

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