Shifaa Mrad
It’s exactly
one year from now, IAAF World Athletics Championship 2019 will take place in
Doha, Qatar. Asian champion of the 400 m hurdles Abdel Rahman Samba said,
"My heart is already racing, and the adrenaline is pumping just by
standing on the track. To compete in a stadium of this significance in front of
my family and nation will be amongst the greatest moments of my career. I'm
also excited to show my fellow athletes from all corners of the world what we
can offer in not only world-class hospitality and facilities, but also the
talent we have coming through the ranks. In turn the world's best will help
myself and Team Qatar athletes inspire the next generation to take to the track
for the first time - it will be a defining moment for all Team Qatar athletes.
“By
committing to connect the world of athletics, Doha is determined to further
accelerate the growth of women's athletics across the region by changing
perceptions. The logo for the championships was also revealed for the first
time at the event, and is the creation of a local, all-female branding team.
The logo hopes to capture the attention of young people so that they are
motivated to choose athletics.
Commenting
on the opportunity for women, Director of Marketing and Communications for IAAF
World Athletics Championships Doha 2019 Sheikha Asma Al-Thani, added,
"Looking around, it is easy to see that a lot has been built. But at the
same time a lot of barriers and perceptions of Arab women in sport need
changing. Definite progress has been made with new role models emerging all the
time, but these invisible barriers still exist. Every woman who participates in
the first IAAF World Athletics Championship hosted in the Middle East can
inspire change and encourage more girls to participate in sport at any level or
consider a career trackside in branding, marketing or more. Real change will
only be possible by ensuring as many young girls are in the stadium as boys to
witness the performances of world champion athletes through their own eyes. And
as an organizing committee we will be doing all we can to make that happen.
Commenting
on one year to go, IAAF President Sebastian Coe said, "Qatar has been
hosting official IAAF events for over 21 years and in the organizing committee
we have a trusted partner who is committed to delivering a World Athletics
Championship which makes a real difference to the world of athletics”.
With a year
to go it is important the foundations are in place, so the final year can be
spent testing facilities, systems and services. This is where we are now and
there is a clear plan for testing. “The fact that this is our first
championship in the Middle East is hugely exciting. It means we can and should
do things differently and provides an opportunity to reconsider what is
possible in terms of new formats to appeal to spectators in the stadium or
viewers around the world. We are encouraged by what we have seen over this last
week and look forward to working with athletes, member federations and partners
to deliver an outstanding World Athletics Championships one year from
today."