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It is an opportunity that comes along once in a career. For many it never comes along at all. So for the 40 Irish athletes who will compete at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Fingal-Dublin next Sunday (12), the pressure will very much feel like a privilege.&nbsp;&nbsp;
For Hiko Tonosa, who will lead his adopted nation into battle in the city he now calls home, it is a responsibility that leaves the 26-year-old beaming with pride.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&ldquo;I&rsquo;m so happy to wear the green jersey,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Tonosa grew up in Shashamane, Ethiopia, and at the age of 20 his gift for running saw him earn a scholarship to Japan where, throughout 2016, he competed in multiple Ekiden races.&nbsp;&nbsp;
After injuries hampered his progress, he returned to Ethiopia towards the end of 2016 to find his country mired in conflict due to the continued marginalisation of the Oromo people, the largest ethnic group there. It was a plight that was brought to the attention of the sporting world a few months earlier at the Rio Olympics, where Feyisa Lilesa crossed his arms above his head as he raced across the line to win silver in the men&rsquo;s marathon, a symbol of defiance used by anti-government protestors.&nbsp;
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After seeing what was being done to his fellow Oromo, Tonosa joined his friends to protest the killing of students by government forces, but he was swiftly arrested and put in prison for almost three months, where he endured regular beatings.&nbsp;
He was released in 2017 only after signing a form to state he would provide information to the government if protests occurred in his area, and that summer he set about rebuilding his running career, securing a spot in the Morton Games in Dublin and the Cork City Sports with assistance from a Canadian agent.&nbsp;&nbsp;
While in Ireland, he received a call informing him his best friend, a fellow athlete, had been shot dead on the street back home due to his presence at a protest. Tonosa was told the local authorities also had him on his radar, and that a similar fate awaited if he returned.&nbsp;
&ldquo;That&rsquo;s why I stayed,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;
He sought asylum in Ireland and was placed in a direct provision centre, an extremely basic room-and-board facility where he was based for almost two years. While there, an employee discovered his running background and linked him up with Dundrum South Dublin Athletic Club.&nbsp;
He has run for them ever since, though as his running progress stalled in 2019, Tonosa switched coaches to join Feidhlim Kelly, who trains athletes from various clubs under the umbrella term of the Dublin Track Club.&nbsp;
They may be mostly amateurs but they train as professionals, the athletes putting in hard workouts every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morning, with Tonosa typically logging 150-160 kilometres each week.&nbsp;
He has set a raft of personal bests since joining the group which includes Irish internationals like Se&aacute;n Tobin, Mark English, Andrew Coscoran and Michelle Finn.&nbsp;
&ldquo;I joined this group for a reason: to see how hard it was,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Everyone in the group is running to their potential. I have no words to say thanks to Feidhlim. He&rsquo;s doing an amazing job.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Earlier this year, Tonosa returned to Ethiopia for a spell, catching up with friends and family and spending two months training alongside distance-running royalty like two-time world 5000m champion Muktar Edris, world indoor mile record-holder Yomif Kejelcha and Olympic 10,000m champion Selemon Barega.&nbsp;&nbsp;
He mostly followed Kelly&rsquo;s programme while there, rowing in with the others when it made sense, and in May he returned to Ireland in impressive form, clocking 13:36.71 for 5000m in Belfast.&nbsp;&nbsp;
In June he pulled on the Irish vest for the first time, smashing his PB to finish 12th in 28:13.10 at the European 10,000m Cup in Birmingham.&nbsp;
&ldquo;That was many a dream to wear the green jersey,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;
In March last year, Tonosa received his Irish citizenship and as grateful as he was for the opportunities it presented, what he was most excited about was the chance to run at major championships. &ldquo;I gave everything for my running,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;
In June this year, he won Irish titles on the track over 5000m and 10,000m, which made him a marked man heading into last month&rsquo;s national cross country championships. On a splendid sunny day in Santry, in a park alongside the national athletics stadium, Tonosa&rsquo;s bid for the senior men&rsquo;s title was under threat on the final lap from Darragh McElhinney, the 21-year-old who will be the chief hope for Ireland in the U23 men&rsquo;s race next Sunday.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
The pair ran shoulder-to-shoulder through the final two kilometres, pulling well clear of their rivals, with McElhinney shooting to the lead inside the last 400 metres. But Tonosa had something left in the locker, upping the pace again heading into the final turn and sprinting clear to take his first Irish cross country title.
&ldquo;I had full confidence in my speed on the last lap,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Darragh got maybe two or three metres, but I was 85% sure [I was going] to win the race. I was so happy.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Tonosa had never competed in cross country in Ethiopia and the national championships was just his fourth ever race on the natural terrain. He does, however, have experience on the course in Abbotstown that will host the best of Europe next Sunday.&nbsp;
&ldquo;That course is hard, but I will try my best,&rdquo; he says.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Although Ireland is now his home, Tonosa has always kept a close eye on events in Ethiopia, where tensions have escalated again in recent months. After taking power in 2018, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed assured those who fled Ethiopia that they&rsquo;d be safe to return and Tonosa put that to the test last year, flying back for the first time since 2017 to visit his mother.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&ldquo;That was good, it was quiet when I was back home,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;
There has been ongoing conflict between the Ethiopian army and Tigrayan rebels following the ousting from power of the Tigray People&rsquo;s Liberation Front (TPLF), and while Tonosa cautions he&rsquo;s &ldquo;not a politician&rdquo; he says the situation is &ldquo;still bad&rdquo; there. He believes very little has changed for the Oromo since Ahmed &ndash; an Oromo &ndash; took office in 2018.&nbsp;
All he can do is hope for the best and focus on the task he has at hand, which is to finish as high up as possible in the senior men&rsquo;s race next Sunday.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ll be happy if I finish top-10, top-15,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;
Thousands turned out at the Irish championships last month and what struck Tonosa as he raced around the six-lap course was the number of people shouting his name. There were many voices he knew, like his clubmates and training partners, but there were many more he didn&rsquo;t.&nbsp;&nbsp;
&ldquo;Thank you to everyone,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;They gave me power.&rdquo;&nbsp;
He hopes that will be the case again next Sunday where, in a country synonymous with 40 shades of green, Tonosa will be one of 40 Irish athletes toeing the line, with six in each of the six individual races and four in the mixed relay.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Forty different journeys, 40 different stories, all leading to this rare and precious chance. Tonosa&rsquo;s tale may be a little different to the others, but no one will be prouder &ndash; or more deserving &ndash; to stand on that start line in green.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Cathal Dennehy for European Athletics

Now an Irish citizen, Tonosa will wear the green jersey with pride in Dublin

World 5000m bronze medallist Konstanze Klosterhalfen will be one of the highest profile names to be competing at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Fingal-Dublin on 12 December but the German comes to the start-line with &ldquo;no expectations.&rdquo;
But expectations in the German team must surely be growing after her successful return to cross country running at the Sparkassen Cross in Pforzheim on Sunday last weekend when she showed good fitness by winning the de facto trial race by more than 30 seconds from her long-time contemporary Alina Reh.
The course in Pforzheim was heavy and muddy but Klosterhalfen made light work of the conditions. She assumed the lead from the gun, ploughed through the mud and built up an unassailable margin on her rivals in what was her first race on the terrain since winning individual silver and team gold in the U23 race at the 2017 SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Samorin when she was 20.&nbsp;
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&ldquo;I just started running in Pforzheim, I didn't think about it and did what I love: run as fast as I can. I did some good training sessions in preparation. This consistency in training is also noticeable in the race. The attraction of cross-country running? You are very close to the origin of running, nature,&rdquo; said Klosterhalfen on her return to cross country running <a title="" href="https://www.leichtathletik.de/news/news/detail/75839-konstanze-klosterhalfen-crosslaufen-hat-etwas-unbeschwertes" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in a recent interview</a> with Leichtathletik.de.
While Pforzheim was an archetypical northern European cross country course, the course in Fingal-Dublin should favour athletes with strong track credentials. Not only is the course relatively flat and devoid of too many obstacles, largely dry conditions are forecast in the week leading up to the championships which should make for firm underfoot conditions and fast running.
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But Klosterhalfen, who is basing herself in Teddington in south-west London ahead of the championships where her sessions will be overseen by Irish distance running great and Fingal-Dublin 2021 ambassador Sonia O&rsquo;Sullivan, is downplaying her chances.
&ldquo;I am going to Ireland with no expectations. I'll stand at the start line and just run. Cross country running has something carefree about it. The nice thing is that you are there with the team and not just running for yourself,&rdquo; said Klosterhalfen.
Not since 2005 when Sabrina Mockenhaupt won silver has a German athlete reached the podium in the senior women&rsquo;s race and even though Klosterhalfen is demurring as far as her individual chances are concerned, a German team which includes both Klosterhalfen and Reh will certainly be in the reckoning for a team medal.
A brace of medals would be an auspicious end to a season which hasn&rsquo;t been without its challenges for Klosterhalfen. The 24-year-old barely raced before the Olympic Games due to pelvic and back injuries but she still finished a creditable eight in the 10,000m on the last day of the athletics programme.
&ldquo;The preparation time for the Olympic Games in Tokyo, a full eight weeks, was very short. With eighth place over the 10,000m, I made the best of it. I'm proud of what my trainer Pete Julian has achieved with me,&rdquo; said Klosterhalfen.
After the European Cross Country Championships, Klosterhalfen is planning an indoor season in 2022 before a summer season which includes two &lsquo;home&rsquo; championships. The Portland-based German will be targeting another medal at the World Athletics Championships in Oregon before she will turn her attention to the Munich 2022 European Athletics Championships.
&ldquo;After the &lsquo;home&rsquo; World Championships in the United States, I'm really looking forward to &lsquo;coming home&rsquo; to the European Championship in my own country in Munich,&rdquo; she said.

After injury-plagued 2021, Klosterhalfen has “no expectations” in Fingal-Dublin

Long jumpers Miltiadis Tentoglou and Ivana Vuleta were named as the Balkan Athletes of the Year at a glittering award ceremony in the Serbian capital Belgrade on Saturday (27).
Tentoglou, from Greece, was indisputably the top exponent of his discipline, winning both the European indoor and Olympic Games title as well as having the longest jump of the year with his mark of 8.60m on home soil in Athens back in May. 
This mark also puts him at third on the European all-time list outdoors behind Soviet and Armenian great Robert Emmiyan (8.86m) and his Greek compatriot Louis Tsatoumas (8.66m).
Tentoglou was unable to attend the award ceremony but his renowned coach Georgi Pomaski collected the award on his behalf.&nbsp;
Vuleta, better known as Ivana Spanovic but now going under her married name since her post-season nuptials, just missed out on a medal when she finished fourth in Tokyo after leading qualifying with 7.00m. However, she bounced back by winning the Diamond League title at the end of the season when she jumped 6.96m in at the famous Zurich Weltklasse event.
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It was the fourth time Vuleta had been given the regional accolade, following on from her wins in 2013, 2015 and 2016, but the first time for Tentoglou, although he was not the first Greek man be the Balkan Athlete of the Year as his compatriot and pole vaulter Kostas Filippidis won in 2014. 
The Balkan Athlete of the Year was inaugerated in 2011 so this year, after it's COVID-enforced cancellation in 2020, maked the 10th anniversary of the award.
The Rising Star award, for U20 athletes, was established the following year and the host country of the Gala had more honours to celebrate when javelin thrower Adriana Vilagos was named the Balkan Rising Star of the Year while Turkey's 400m hurdler Berke Akcam took the men's honours in this category.&nbsp;
Vilagos, still only 17, won the European U20 javelin silver medal in Tallinn this summer but a few weeks later found the Midas touch at the World Athletics U20 Championships in Nairobi, when she took the gold medal. She also rounded off her U18 career in style by smashing the world U18 best with the 500g with 70.10m at the Balkan U18 Championships in Kraljevo.&nbsp;
With a 2004 birthdate, Vilagos is eligible to defend her world U20 title next year and also challenge for the European U20 title in 2023.&nbsp;
Akcam also had a memorable season in the U20 ranks, winning gold medals at both the European and World Athletics U20 Championships in the space of five weeks.&nbsp;
Special guests at the Gala included both European Athletics President Dobromir Karamarinov and World Athletics President Sebastian Coe.

Vuleta and Tentoglou are the 2021 Balkan Athletes of the Year

Spain has named a full team of 40 athletes for the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Fingal-Dublin on 12 December.
Not since 2015 has Spain won the senior men&rsquo;s team title but they will be strong contenders to land their tenth gold medal in this category since the championships inaugurated in 1994.
Their team is helmed by the mightily experienced duo of Adel Mechaal and Ayad Lamdassem, both of whom have won individual medals in the past and were also both part of Spain&rsquo;s victorious team in 2015.&nbsp;
Both athletes also finished fifth in their respective events at the Olympic Games. Mechaal just missed out on the medals in the 1500m in Tokyo in a race won by the Dublin-bound Jakob Ingebrigtsen while Lamdassam, 40, also excelled with a fifth-place finish in the marathon which was held in Sapporo.
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Their senior men&rsquo;s team also includes multiple European medallist and fellow Tokyo 2020 Olympian Carlos Mayo although their brightest individual hope could be Abdessamad Oukhelfen who recently won the prestigious Cross de la Constitucion in Alcobendas on Sunday.
The senior women&rsquo;s team hasn&rsquo;t been quite as successful with their last team medal dating back to 2014 and their last individual going back to 2009 when Dublin last staged the championships. This year&rsquo;s team is headed by Olympic 3000m steeplechase finalist Carolina Robles.&nbsp;
The mixed relay has proved a successful event since its inception in 2017 and the Spaniards will be looking to regain the title they won three years ago in Tilburg. Their quartet includes Esther Guerrero and Victor Ruiz who were both part of their gold medal-winning quartet in 2018.
In the age-group events, European U20 3000m steeplechase champion Pol Oriach - who also ran 3:37.67 for 1500m at the age of 18 this summer - is tipped to succeed Jakob Ingebrigtsen as European U20 cross country champion while European U20 5000m champion Carla Dominguez is one of the favourites for the women&rsquo;s U20 title.
Also watch out for European U23 10,000m champion Eduardo Menacho as a potential successor to Jimmy Gressier in the U23 race.
The full Spanish team can be found <a title="" href="https://rfea.es/web/noticias/desarrollo.asp?codigo=13815#.YaduIPHP3DI" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.

Spain selects 40 athletes for the SPAR European Cross Country Championships

The entry standards for the Jerusalem 2022 European Athletics U18 Championships have been approved and published and can be found <a title="" href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/assets/263a5240-6a65-40a9-bf4c-c21530440ead" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
The 2022 championships will be the third edition of this event and will come after a hiatus of four years caused by the pandemic which forced the postponement and then cancellation of the championships which were initially due to be held in Rieti in 2020.
Approximately 1200 athletes are expected to compete in next year&rsquo;s event which will take place in the renovated National Stadium which can seat just under 400 spectators.
The last edition of the championships in Gyor 2018 was highlighted by world U18 best performances by Spain&rsquo;s Maria Vicente in the heptathlon and Ukraine&rsquo;s Mykhaylo Kokhan in the hammer

Entry standards published for 2022 European Athletics U18 Championships

Three-time European U23 cross country champion Jimmy Gressier will make his long-awaited debut in the senior race at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Fingal-Dublin on 12 December.
Gressier also led France to the team gold medal on three successive occasions between 2017 and 2019 and the Olympic 5000m finalist is part of a strong senior team which also features his long-time teammate Hugo Hay.
Hay was also part of the gold medal-winning U23 team on those three occasions and also won individual silver and bronze behind Gressier in 2017 and 2018 respectively.
<img src="https://directus.european-athletics.com/assets/cf298ca8-041c-42b1-b5a5-d6aab88f15f8" alt="European Cross Country Championships" width="5266" height="3511" />
Another standout name on the 40-strong French team is former individual senior champion Sophie Duarte. At 40, Duarte is the oldest athlete on the French team by more than a decade.
The full French team for Dublin can be found <a title="" href="https://www.athle.fr/asp.net/main.html/html.aspx?htmlid=6267" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
With 65 gold medals and 158 medals in total, Great Britain &amp; NI is by far the most successful nation in European Cross Country Championships history and will surely further embellish that medal haul in the Irish capital in less than two weeks' time.
A full team of 40 athletes will be making the small trip across the Irish sea including recent trials winners Jessica Judd and Jack Rowe. Judd led the women&rsquo;s team to their sixth team title since 2011 on a fiendishly hilly course in Lisbon two years ago.
<img src="https://directus.european-athletics.com/assets/67c19b9f-a4b8-44bb-b6ea-4c6f1d9b730f" alt="SPAR European Cross Country Championships" width="5568" height="3712" />
The Brits will also be looking to capture their third title in the mixed relay since it was introduced onto the programme in Samorin 2017. Their quartet is headed by Olympic 800m finalist Alex Bell who showed her strength by winning the short course trial race.
The full British team for Dublin can be found <a title="" href="https://www.britishathletics.org.uk/news-and-features/40-athletes-selected-to-represent-the-british-team-at-the-2021-european-cross-country-championships/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
Kenyan-based European 10km and half marathon record-holder Julien Wanders has been named on the 19-strong Swiss team for the European Cross Country Championships.
Wanders won an individual bronze medal two years ago and helms a strong Swiss team in the men&rsquo;s race which also features Jonas Raess who recently took victory at the Warandecross in Tilburg, a race which tends to be a good indicator of form ahead of these championships.
<img src="https://directus.european-athletics.com/assets/f783529d-62e1-47a3-90f1-c0474b9440c1" alt="SPAR European Cross Country Championships" width="5568" height="3712" />
European U20 800m bronze medallist Valentina Rosamilia spearheads the U20 team and fellow 800m specialist Lore Hoffmann is part of Switzerland's mixed relay team.
The full Swiss team for Dublin can be found <a title="" href="https://www.swiss-athletics.ch/de/blog/2021/11/30/19-koepfiges-team-fuer-die-cross-em-selektioniert-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.&nbsp;
Belgium&rsquo;s Isaac Kimeli will be looking to make the individual podium again three years after winning silver behind Filip Ingebrigtsen in Tilburg.
The senior men&rsquo;s team also features in-form Michael Somers who defeated Kimeli in wintry conditions in Roeselare on Sunday while former European U20 cross country champion Pieter-Jan Hannes makes his first international appearance for Belgium since the 2016 Olympic Games.
Reigning European indoor 1500m champion Elise Vanderelst will be aiming for her second major continental medal of the season in the mixed relay.
The full Belgian team for Dublin can be found <a title="" href="https://www.atletiek.be/nieuws/selectie-ek-veldlopen-bekend" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.&nbsp;

Gressier to spearhead French team at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships

The Italian city of Rieti will be the host of the 2026 European Athletics U18 Championships, following a decision made at the 163rd European Athletics Council meeting which concluded in Madrid on Sunday (14).
Rieti emphasised its willingness and enthusiasm to stage the championships after having been the original hosts of the 2020 event in this age group, which unfortunately had to be cancelled due to the COVID pandemic.
<blockquote>
&ldquo;I am very pleased that the Italian federation were able to come back to us with an excellent proposal to stage our U18 championships in Rieti in 2026. Last year was very challenging for athletics around the world and it was with great regret that those championships which were scheduled to take place in Rieti had to be cancelled but we will now be able to utilise a lot of the hard work and effort the Local Organising Committee put in during their preparations for that event to great effect,&rdquo; said European Athletics President Dobromir Karamarinov.
</blockquote>
President of the Rieti 2026 Local Organising Committee Giuliano Casciani commented: &ldquo;Rieti would like to say a big thank you to European Athletics. I am gratified for European Athletics&rsquo; confidence in our city and in the Italian athletics. We will get back to work immediately, taking advantage of what has already been done for Rieti 2020.
&ldquo;It will be a great Rieti 2026 and we will make sure to organise a series of supporting events that will bring even more prestige to the European Athletics U18 Championships. The city of Rieti and our Raul Guidobaldi Stadium can't wait to start again,&rdquo; he added.
<img src="https://directus.european-athletics.com/assets/78a2e1e2-edcf-4b21-8c7a-9210fa1afbc2" alt="Guidobaldi Rieti" width="4252" height="2835" />
The President of the Italian athletics federation (FIDAL) Stefano Mei said: &ldquo;I am very pleased that Rieti has been awarded with the organisation of the 2026 European Athletics U18 Championships. FIDAL will totally support a city that has huge experience, and a knowledge and passion for athletics, as we all want to deliver the best possible edition of the championships.&rdquo;
The next European Athletics U18 Championships will take place in Jerusalem, Israel in 2022 with the venue of the 2024 edition to be decided at the next European Athletics Council meeting in May 2022.
Another key decision made at the Council meeting was to harmonise the distances contested at the SPAR European Cross Country Championships between the genders from 2023.
The Council accepted a proposal from the European Athletics Event and Competition Commission, who supported the request from the Swedish Athletics federation and endorsed by other Member Federations, to establish equal distances for men and women.
Allowing for flexibility in terms of course design, the SPAR European Cross Country Championships races from 2023 will be contested over the following distances:
<ul>
<li>Under 20 women and men: 4-6km</li>
<li>Under 23 women and men 6-8km</li>
<li>Senior women and men: 8-10km</li>
<li>Senior mixed relay: 4x1 lap</li>
</ul>
Following the lead by World Athletics, European Athletics has also added the 35km race walk to its list of ratified records, both for senior and U23 athletes.
With World Athletics also adding the 50km distance to its list of ratified road running world records, European Athletics will also add this distance to its records. For both events target performance for the inaugural records were introduced.
<img src="https://directus.european-athletics.com/assets/76065d4c-705f-482f-afeb-0082213bcb55" alt="20211114 102558" width="4032" height="1908" />
Ireland &ndash; hosts of the 2021 SPAR European Cross Country Championships on 12 December &ndash; became the sixth Member Federation to complete the Focus Federation Programme with their presentation to the Council on Sunday.
The Focus Federation Programme was launched in April 2017 and is open to all federations who do not have any representation on the European Athletics Council.
The main aim of this initiative is to further strengthen links and communication between Member Federations and European Athletics.

The Italian city of Rieti will be the host of the 2026 European Athletics U18 Championships, following a decision made at the 163rd European Council meeting

Rieti to host 2026 European Athletics U18 Championships

Presiding over the 163rd European Athletics Council meeting, and his first since being elected as the sixth European Athletics President at last month&rsquo;s Congress, Dobromir Karamarinov welcomed the two new Council members Germany&rsquo;s Juergen Kessing and Poland&rsquo;s Henryk Olszewski on Friday (12).
Like Karamarinov, Kessing and Olszewski were also elected to their positions at last month&rsquo;s Congress.
Among the first items on the agenda of the meeting, which will also continue through to Sunday, the Council unanimously accepted the proposal to elevate France&rsquo;s Jean Gracia to the position of First Vice President and add Hungary&rsquo;s Council member Marton Gyulai to the Executive Board.
Much of the opening session of the Council meeting on Friday afternoon was taken up with presentations and discussions relating to the Rome 2024 European Athletics Championships. This will take place in the Italian capital&rsquo;s historic Olympic Stadium which hosted the 1960 Olympic Games, 1974 European Athletics Championships and 1987 World Athletics Championships.
A delegation from the Italian federation (FIDAL) led by President Stefano Mei and the head of the Italian government's Sports Department Michele Sciscioli, which also included the FIDAL Deputy Secretary General Marco Sicari and the FIDAL Head of International Relations Roberta Russo, presented their plans for the championships, supported by a video message from the Mayor of Rome Roberto Gualtieri guaranteeing the city government&rsquo;s support.
A message from the Italy&rsquo;s Under Secretary for Sport Valentina Vezzali, which was delivered by Sciscioli, also promised the full support of the Italian government.
"We are very glad European Athletics gave us the chance to detail our work on Roma 2024,&rdquo; commented FIDAL President Stefano Mei. &ldquo;I wish to thank European Athletics President Dobromir Karamarinov and the Council for their support. We are confident that, with the support of the public institutions and our partners, athletics will have many bright days in Roma".
The FIDAL delegation noted that athletics in Italy has reached unprecedented levels of public engagement in recent months following their five gold medals in the sport at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, especially with young people via digital channels including social media.
Italy also topped the medal table at the European Athletics U23 Championships this summer with six gold medals and many of the heroes of Tokyo and Tallinn can be expected to compete on home soil in Rome in just under three years&rsquo; time.
The day was concluded with a site visit to the 10,000-capcity Vallehermoso Stadium, located in the heart of the Spanish capital and which will be the venue for the 2025 European Athletics Team Championships Super League, following the confirmation that Madrid will be the host city for this event.

Presiding over the 163rd European Athletics Council meeting, European Athletics President Dobromir Karamarinov welcomed new Council members Germany’s Juergen Kessing and Poland’s Henryk Olszewski

Roma 2024 the main topic of discussion on the first day of the European Athletics Council meeting

European Athletics has put together an intensive schedule of seven events for its annual Coaching Summit Series, which has provided high level instructional and networking opportunities since it was inaugurated in 2008 and seen thousands of coaches attend the events in the last 13 years.
Six of the events take place over a five-week period from the end of October starting with the European Combined Events Conference, which brings together a host of experts with extensive experience relating to the discipline.&nbsp;
European Combined Events Conference Venue: Sollentuna Friidrottshall (SWE) Dates: 29-31 October Contact: Janne Wanhainen <a href="mailto:janne.wanhainen@friidrott.se">janne.wanhainen@friidrott.se</a> Website: <a href="https://www.friidrott.se/EuropeanMultiEventConference2021">https://www.friidrott.se/EuropeanMultiEventConference2021</a> Registrations: <a href="https://response.questback.com/svenskafriidrottsfrbundet/rv38ioczbj">https://response.questback.com/svenskafriidrottsfrbundet/rv38ioczbj</a>
<ul>
<li>Sweden&rsquo;s European heptathlon record holder, the 2004 Olympic champion and noted public speaker Carolina Kl&uuml;ft will open the event on Friday 29 October with a presentation.</li>
<li>Germany&rsquo;s head coach of decathlon and German athletics federation 2018 coach of the year Christopher Hallman will be sharing his experiences and professional expertise both seminars and coaching session with one of his athletes Tim Nowak, a European and world U20 championships medallist, and the Swedish international decathlete Fredrik Samuelsson.</li>
<li>The head of sport psychology for the Swedish Sport Confederation G&ouml;ran Kentt&auml; will discuss his work and good practice in relation to the combined events.</li>
<li>Finland&rsquo;s two-time Coach of the Year Petteri Jouste, a sprint and hurdles specialist will share his experiences from 30 years working in speed training.</li>
<li>Walter Weber from Hypomeeting G&ouml;tzis organisers, will explain why the Austrian meeting is widely considered to be the best combined events competition outside of a major international championship.</li>
</ul>
World Javelin Conference Venue: Kuortane Olympic Training Center (FIN) Dates: 5-6 November Contact: Tero Pitk&auml;m&auml;ki <a href="mailto:tero.pitkamaki@kuortane.com">tero.pitkamaki@kuortane.com</a> Website: <a href="https://www.kuortane.com/worldjavelin.html">https://www.kuortane.com/worldjavelin.html</a>
<ul>
<li>Among the participants will be Germany's 2017 world champion Johannes Vetter.</li>
</ul>
International Festival of Athletics Coaching Venue: online Dates:&nbsp; 5-7 November Contact: Frank Dick <a href="mailto:office@fwd.uk.com">office@fwd.uk.com</a> Website: <a href="https://athleticscoaches.eu">https://athleticscoaches.eu</a> Registration: <a href="https://athleticscoaches.eu/ifac/">https://athleticscoaches.eu/ifac/</a>
<ul>
<li>Details of the full programme and speakers is available <a href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/b1b315b5-9caf-4c21-b578-15b8ecff194f/IFAC-2021_Infographics_program_v0.6.pdf">here</a>.</li>
</ul>
European Pole Vault and High Jump Conference Venue: German Sport University Cologne (GER) Dates: 12-14 November Contact: Wolfgang Ritzdorf <a href="mailto:ritzdorf@dshs-koeln.de">ritzdorf@dshs-koeln.de</a> Website : <a title="" href="www.polevault-symposium.de" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.polevault-symposium.de</a>
<ul>
<li>The 9th edition of this Conference will once again bring top coaches, sports scientist and athletes will come together to discuss the latest development of the vertical jumps.</li>
<li>World-reknowned coaches Vitaly Petrov, Greg &amp; Helena Duplantis and Marco Tamberi are just four of the outstanding experts who will share their knowledge and expertise. Besides technical discussions, 'what we learned from Covid' &lsquo;periodisation&rsquo; will be one of the main topics of the conference.</li>
<li>Numbers are limited to 150 so early registration is advised. A full programme can be seen and downloaded <a title="" href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/downloads/7faca57d-2796-4b0e-b892-61e8650a0ca7/European Pole Vault and High Jump Conference programme.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</li>
</ul>
Endurance Conference Venue: Leeds Beckett University, Leeds (GBR) Dates: 12-14 November 2021 Contact: Brian Hanley <a href="mailto:b.hanley@leedsbeckett.ac.uk">b.hanley@leedsbeckett.ac.uk</a> Website&nbsp;: <a href="https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/events/conferences-and-symposiums/european-endurance-conference-2021/">https://www.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/events/conferences-and-symposiums/european-endurance-conference-2021/</a>
<ul>
<li>2019 world 1500m champion and 2020 Olympic Games silver medallist Timothy Cheruiyot will be in attendance with coach, Bernard Ouma, who will speak about his experiences and expertise in coaching middle-distance runners in Kenya.</li>
<li>The programme includes talks by 2019 50km world champion Aly Dixon and 2010 European Athletics Championships 1500m winner Arturo Casado.</li>
<li>Leading scientific experts on endurance, including Professor Andy Jones, Professor Sue Backhouse and Dr Richard Blagrove will present on the latest research developments.</li>
<li>The conference is supported by England Athletics and the British Milers Club, and will feature expert talks, workshops and practical sessions on track and road running, as well as race walking.</li>
</ul>
European Discus Conference Venue: Tallinn (EST) Dates: 19-21 November Contact: Hans &Uuml;&uuml;rike <a href="mailto:hans.uurike@gmail.com">hans.uurike@gmail.com</a> Website: <a href="https://throwsworld.com/">https://throwsworld.com/</a>
<ul>
<li>This conference can boast this year of an outstanding lineup of coaches and athletes including the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games champion Valarie Allman and her coach Zebulon Sion. The programme involves a combination of lecture sessions and practical skills, focussing on development on the track and also in the weight room.</li>
</ul>
Speed &amp; Hurdles Conference Venue: online Dates: 5 December Contact: Shani Palmer <a href="mailto:spalmer@englandathletics.org">spalmer@englandathletics.org</a> Website: <a id="yiv5523147701LPNoLPOWALinkPreview" href="https://www.englandathletics.org/coaching/development/european-athletics-speed-and-hurdles-conference/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">https://www.englandathletics.org/coaching/development/european-athletics-speed-and-hurdles-conference/</a> Registration: <a id="yiv5523147701LPlnk521272" href="https://bit.ly/3kpfttp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://bit.ly/3kpfttp</a>
European Athletics Member Federations are eligible for the Coaching Summit Series Scholarship grants as follows:
400 CHF if one coach takes part in a Coaching Summit Series event
800 CHF if two coaches take part in a Coaching Summit Series event
1200 CHF if a third coach takes part in one of the Series Events and if this coach is a woman
The above Scholarship grants are meant to cover part of the overall cost of in-person meetings e.g. registration, travel, accommodation. &nbsp;In case of an online event, European Athletics will cover the amount up to the registration fee of two (2) persons, and three (3) if the third person is a woman (and within the above amounts).
For further details contact: European Athletics Development Coordinator Yannick Morard yannick.morard@european-athletics.org&nbsp;
&nbsp;

European Athletics has put together an intensive schedule of seven events as part of its annual Coaching Summit Series

Seven events in European Athletics' 2021 Coaching Seminar Series

Seven events to be held in the European Athletics 2021 Coaching Seminar Series

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SPAR has been the principal sponsor of European Athletics since 1996, becoming synonymous with the sport during this period. Athletics is a sport where personal endeavour is combined with team participation to achieve success, and SPAR identifies with this principle through its national partners by ensuring that consumers enjoy shopping at SPAR. SPAR retailers continue to develop the brand through sponsorship awareness and through the critical link with individual athletes who are also customers of independent retailers. SPAR is proud to be involved with European Athletics, an organisation which strives to bring passion and enthusiasm for their sport to viewers, spectators and participants.

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Le Gruyère AOP Switzerland began its partnership with European Athletics in 2008 as a top-tier sponsor of all Major Events and the European Athletics U23 and U20  Championships. Le Gruyère is a very high quality natural cheese that has been produced for many centuries in an artisanal method without any additives. VIP guests, athletes and fans have the opportunity to taste this magnificent cheese at European Athletics events sponsored by Le Gruyère AOP Switzerland. 

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Toyo Tires is one of the world's largest tire manufacturers. Toyo Tire Corporation was founded in 1945 in Osaka, Japan. In 1975, the manufacturer opened its European headquarters in Germany. The product range includes winter, summer and all-season tyres for motor vehicles as well as van tyres and special off-road products. The philosophy of Toyo Tires is to combine driving pleasure with top performance. This is reflected in each of the products, as well as in its close partnership with European Athletics.

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The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has been the Official Broadcast Partner of European Athletics since 1981. During this 40-year partnership, the outstanding collaboration between both organisations has always been focused on developing European Athletics into a more attractive product for television, spectators and athletes. Through its operational department Eurovision Services, the EBU is continuously working to promote athletics by offering the most comprehensive coverage of European Athletics events all over Europe.

Atos is a global leader in digital transformation with 110,000 employees and an annual revenue of approximately €12 billion. It is the European number one in cybersecurity, cloud and high performance computing, and the group provides tailored end-to-end solutions for all industries in 73 countries. A pioneer in decarbonisation services and products, Atos is committed to a secure and decarbonised digital environment for its clients. Atos is a SE (Societas Europaea), and listed on the CAC40 Paris stock index.

Atos is the Worldwide Information Technology Partner for the Olympic and  Paralympic Games. It is also the Timing-Scoring, Results and Operations provider of European Athletics events since 2017, and European Athletics Official Digital Partner for their new digital platform (web and mobile).


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Mondo has designed and produced prefabricated athletics tracks since 1948 and has been a European Athletics partner since 1988. They have combined their skills in the pursuit of a shared goal: to support the growth of athletics with passion and innovation. Mondo’s athletics surfaces offer uniform dynamic response and complete control over stride, rhythm, and balance for every athlete. The advantages of Mondo’s prefabricated track surfaces include optimal performance for athletes regardless of climate and environmental conditions. Mondo operates a careful selection of its raw materials for its track surfaces and constant production as we care about athletes’ health. Mondo products have passed UL Environment Tests for more than 10,000 volatile chemical agents and have attained GREENGUARD Gold certification.

Mondo

Opened in 1909 and magnificently restored, the Hotel Royal Savoy Lausanne combines Art Nouveau and modernity with genuine panache. Featuring tailor-made service and unbeatable comfort, this legendary venue is located a short walk from the shores of Lac Leman and offers every guest the absolute luxury of feeling truly at home. The Hotel Royal Savoy is proud to be the Preferred Hotel Partner of European Athletics in Lausanne since 2016, offering valuable support and accommodation services to European Athletics business activities throughout the year.

Hotel Royal Savoy Lausanne

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