This years event, which will take place on 21 November in the Salle des Etoiles of the Monte Carlo Summer Sporting Club, will be accompanied by two other important manifestations commemorating the 700 anniversary of the Grimaldi Dynasty in Monaco.
On the evening of 22 November, in the Salle Garnier, Katia Ricciarelli and Massimo Ranieri will give a joint performance. "I had always wanted to sing with Massimo, but somehow we never got around to it" said the famous soprano. And Ranieri: "That's true, even though we have been thinking about it for a long time. We finally made the decision one evening in the Teatro delle Vittorie: let's do it. I believe that it will be a very interesting experience and will prove that Neapolitan songs - we will be singing Neapolitan songs together - are part of the lyrical heritage".
On the morning of 23 November the 1st Monaco International Marathon, organised by the Monégasque Athletics federation, will be run. A particularity of this marathon is that it will cross three countries: Monaco, France and Italy. A number of big names will compete in the event, including: Salvatore Bettiol, Graziano Calvaresi, Roberto Crosio, Daniele Goffi all from Italy and Ahmed Salah (DJI), Ezekiele Bitok (KEN), Igor Konychev (RUS), Paul Arpin (FRA). Among the women: Maura Viceconte (ITA), Luminita Moanga (ROM), Birgit Jerschabek (GER), Irina Kazakova (FRA).
The World Athletics Gala - where the guest of honour will be the great lyrical singer Andrea Bocelli - will be attended by all of the top ten women and men athletes. Their nomination was decided by a poll among leaders of the world athletics movement, managers, trainers and journalists from around the world and the following athletes (in alphabetical order) were selected:
Men: Sergey Bubka (UKR), Hicham El Guerrouj (MAR), Frank Fredericks (NAM), Haile Gebrselassie (ETH), Michael Johnson (USA), Wilson Kipketer (DEN), Daniel Komen (KEN), Ivan Pedroso (CUB), Lars Riedel (GER), Paul Tergat (KEN).
Women: (numbering eleven because of a tie) Sally Barsosio (KEN), Nezha Bidouane (MAR), Sabine Braun (GER), Ludmila Engqvist (SWE), Cathy Freeman (AUS), Marion Jones (USA), Astrid Kumbernuss (GER), Merlene Ottey (JAM), Zhanna Pintusevich (UKR), Ana Fidelia Quirot (CUB), Gabriela Szabo (ROM).
All three of the events will be broadcast world-wide live by Tele Monte Carlo.
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