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Preparations for the 2022 World Athletics Championships have begun. World Athletics has completed its first full site visit to Eugene, Oregon to inspect preparations for the big-ticket event scheduled to take place from July 15-24 next year.
The world body visited the US to discuss arrangements for the World Athletics Championships, originally scheduled to take place this year but were postponed to 2022 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Jakob Larsen, Director of Competition and Events at World Athletics, told Insidethegames.biz:
"A lot of work was done at this site visit and we've made massive progress over the last few days. For me, one of the most valuable outputs is the coming together and cooperation of our teams. That spirit bodes well for the success of the event," director of competition and events at World Athletics Jakob Larsen told Insidethegames.biz.
Among the topics discussed during the recce included broadcast, accommodation, community initiatives, event presentations, competitions, operations, and marketing and communications.
The Championships — the 18th edition of World Athletics' flagship event — are now due to take place between July 15-24, 2022.
It will be the first time that the World Athletics Championships have been held in the US, the event’s most successful country with a total of 381 medals. That tally includes 170 gold medals - over three times more than its closest rival, Kenya.
India introduces new selection method for World Athletics Championships
Last month, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) announced strict guidelines for athletes for the 2024 Paris Olympic cycle. The federation will organize competitions similar to a national championship or a final trial before any marquee event, including the World Athletics Championships.
The changes in the selection process, AFI believes, will help them select the best athletes for the competition. It also puts the onus on athletes to be at their best or risk getting dropped.
