IAAF Release
25 May 2001 - Edmonton - IAAF President Lamine Diack, world record pole-vaulter Sergey Bubka, Athletics Canada Board Chair Jean-Guy Ouellette and Edmonton 2001 Local Organizing Committee Board Chair Jack Agrios have drawn the names of 12 World Athletics Day (WAD) winners.
The draw, which was held today, provides the 12 young athletes with an all-expenses paid trip to see the 8th IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada from Aug. 3 to 12. The winners, six boys and six girls, were chosen from thousands of names submitted by member Athletic Federations from the six IAAF Continental Areas around the world. The 2001 WAD winners will join the 12 winners from last year's draw at the Championships.
"What an exciting day for this year's winners," said President Diack. "The IAAF is very pleased to be able to bring these fine young athletes to Edmonton for the World Championships in Athletics. They will see the world's best athletes compete in 46 events, and at the same time have the opportunity to visit a wonderful city in the beautiful province of Alberta. To be able to watch, up close, the greatest athletes in the world will be a once in a lifetime experience for our contest winners. We hope, for all of them, that it provides an incentive to perhaps become a future member of their nation's team at the World Championships."
"We are delighted that the 12 winners from this year, along with the 12 winners from last year's draw, are coming to Edmonton," Agrios said. "The Opening Ceremony, which includes the running of the Men's Marathon - a first for the World Championships - is slightly more than two months away, beginning 10 days of excitement, meeting and greeting old friends and making new ones."
WAD is a program developed by the IAAF five years ago to promote the sport of athletics to youth across the world. Since 1996, thousands of youngsters have participated in WAD in hundreds of countries in the half dozen continental regions.
The winners
of the 2001 World Athletics Day draw are:
Girls -
Mae Kolme of Papua New Guinea, 200 metres
Chih-yu Wen of Chinese Taipei, High Jump
Patricia Rissoo of Peru, Long Jump
Pamela Salikumbi of Zambia, Long Jump
Ivana Brkjacic of Croatia, Hammer Throw
Yudith Mendez of Dominican Republic, 100 Metre Hurdles
Boys -
Jacoro Sucu of Fiji, Javelin
Robani Hassan Mohd of Malaysia, 400 Metre Hurdles
Santiago Guerci of Argentina, High Jump
Hani Meguelati of Algeria, 1,500 Metres
Kosta Kaloianov of Bulgaria, 110 Metre Hurdles
Gregory La Croes of Netherlands Antilles, 100 Metres
