News20 Nov 2006


Berlin 2009 provides a unique chance for athletics in Germany

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Berlin 2009: back - Heiner Henze, Prof. Eike Emrich, Rolf Eckroth, Gerhard Janetzky, Matthias Reick, Heinrich Clausen; front - Dr. Clemens Prokop , Rene Scheer, Klaus Böger (© kc foto/mixedzone GmbH)

In the eyes of the Berlin sports senator Klaus Böger, who was among the speakers at a press conference staged by the Berlin Organising Committee of the 12th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Berlin 2009, these championships present a unique chance for the whole of Germany.

“It is our aim that the World Championships will give a huge boost for athletics in our country,” said Böger. “This should really develop the sport further, beginning in the schools. Promotion for the city of Berlin is one thing. But we also want to do something for the sport. Athletics is in the centre of all sports and it should remain there. We will keep everything that we promised when we were applying for these championships in 2004”.
 
Heiner Henze, the general manager of the organising committee, stressed that the progress made so far is as expected and that everything works smoothly. “Recently we put our web page online. And we expect it to become a main communication platform.” In the internet the page can be found at: www.berlin2009.org
 
The general secretary of the organising committee, Heinrich Clausen, said that one topic being discussed at present is the timetable for the championships which will be staged from 15 to 23 August 2009. “We expect the timetable to be finalised in about one year”, Clausen said. Checking and developing training facilities is another aspect currently being dealt with by the organisers.  
 
Clausen also confirmed that it is the goal of the organisers to get 500,000 spectators to attend the nine days of the championships. It is hoped that all the evening sessions will be staged in front of a capacity crowd in the Olympic Stadium. But ticket sales will not start before 2008.

“It is a real task to fill the stadium but this is our aim”, said Klaus Böger who added: “In terms of infrastructure Berlin will provide perfect conditions.” Heiner Henze said: “These championships in Berlin in 2009 could become a milestone for the development of athletics worldwide.”

Jörg Wenig for the IAAF


The next edition of the IAAF’s premier World Athletics Series event takes place in 2007 -

11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, 25 August - 2 September 2007 - Osaka (Japan)
 

Click on the title below for a previous Berlin 2009 story –

Berlin 2009 makes its first introductions
Wednesday 9 August 2006

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