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Spain&rsquo;s Oscar Husillos famously was the first man across the line in the 2018 World Athletics Indoor Championships 400m final, clocking what would have been a European indoor record of 44.92 only to be later disqualified for a lane infringement.
Three years later, almost to the day, Hussillos finally got some consolation for that disappointment in Birmingham and climbed to the top of the podium at a major international championships when he took the 2021 European indoor title over two laps of the track in the Polish city of Torun. In an interview with the Spanish federation website (<a href="https://www.rfea.es/web/noticias/desarrollo.asp?codigo=13249#.YFysIK9KhPY" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the original in Spanish can be read here</a>, and an edited version is published below), Husillos talked about his win in Torun and making the Spanish 400m record his own this coming summer. 
Congratulations on your first 'official' international title. Would you say this win puts behind you the pain of what happened in Birmingham in 2018?
What happened during the 2018 indoor season is difficult to forget. The European title went a long way to healing the scars of what happened in the world indoor championships final&hellip;. but all of this is part of sport and of an athlete's life, there are good and bad moments, and whether or not what happened in Birmingham was absurd is part of that.
To what extent would you say that you have now overcome what happened in Birmingham psychologically? 
I've never had moments of despair as such. It is more related to how I feel and my training marks. I write down all the training sessions that I do and when I look at the ones I did in that year (in 2018) well, I feel bad. But I think that sooner or later I will be back to that level and that I can run that way again.
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In the Torun heats, it was only the first two in each heat that went forward to the semi-finals. What do you think about this system and not having a fastest non-automatic qualifiers? It was a novelty that only athletes with a big Q and not a little q progressed. When we were talking between the coaches and the (Spanish) athletes beforehand, we said that there would be no problem; that it was not necessary to worry about it as we believed all three of us (Husillos, Lucas Bua and Samuel Garcia) would get through and we believed that none of us would have any problem ... but when you see your teammates with marks of 46.9 and 47.0 being left out of the next round, and other athletes have got through with 47.5, it feels a little unfair because it&rsquo;s now obvious that some first round races were more difficult than others.
In the semi-finals, you had to face Pavel Maslak (CZE), Tony van Diepen (NED), and Vladimir Aceti (ITA). Maslak had just beaten you in Madrid and Van Diepen was the bronze medallist from Glasgow 2019 so how did you deal with it?
I saw the draw and talked about it (with the coaches). We knew it was the toughest semi of the three, with four of the top seven in Europe this year. But the issue remained the same; it is a European championship and nobody is going to make it easy for you. The only thing that changed was the strategy, the plan was to win the race in a fast time to get a better lane in the final (although Husillos actually finished second in his semi and won in the final from lane four).
In the final you went out at an what might have been a suicidal pace pace, and passed the 200m at 21.32. What was your thinking behind that? 
Suicidal start? It's possible that it might have turned out that way but I thought out my strategy and decided that I should be the fastest (over the first 300 metres) and I knew that if I took the inside lane and managed to hold it until the last 50 or 60 metres, then it would be difficult for the others to overtake me because I would have a clear run to the line and everyone else would have to come around me. In short: the plan I made with my coach (Luis Angel Caballero) turned out perfectly!
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Your 200m split of 21.32 in Torun was very close to what you did in the semifinals and final in Birmingham (21.30 and 21.26) and was faster than Karsten Warholm (21.35) when equalled the European indoor record with 45.05 to win in Glasgow. What does that data tell you?
In truth, this data tell me little because I know that I was not in good shape as I was in 2018 or as Warholm was in 2019. I only know that the best strategy for the race was to make a very fast first lap and then risk everything on the second lap to keep the inside lane. I also knew that I was not the athlete in the best physical shape in the final but that doesn&rsquo;t always win you championships and medals, and what I do know is how to execute a good strategy in an indoor 400.
Your personal best is 44.73 and the Spanish record is 44.69. Is this summer the moment to snatch that record from (2016 European 200m champion) Bruno Hortelano?
Of course, without any doubt. It is one of the goals of the summer and I would be lying if I told you that I am not thinking about the Spanish record. I finished just fourth-hundredths behind Bruno in that 2018 race in Moraralaz (the Madrid suburb where Hortelano set the record and Husillos got his PB), and that has been a little thorn in my side. I&rsquo;m not obsessed but I want the record, and with good preparation I see myself able to do so.

TORUN, POLAND - MARCH 06: Gold medalist Oscar Husillos of Spain celebrates following his victory in Men's 400 metres during the second session on Day 2 of European Athletics Indoor Championships at Arena Torun on March 06, 2021 in Torun, Poland. Sporting stadiums around Poland remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors.on March 06, 2021 in Torun, Poland. (Photo by Piotr Hawalej/Getty Images)

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Husillos: "I was not the athlete in the best physical shape but that doesn’t always win you championships"

In the sixth and final episode of European Athletics&rsquo; mini-documentary series My Story, Germany&rsquo;s Malaika Mihambo narrates her journey from fulfilling the vast potential she displayed as a junior to becoming the reigning world and European champion in the long jump.
&ldquo;Maybe I started dreaming about being number one when I was 12 but these were just dreams,&rdquo; remembered Mihambo who took up athletics during summer school when she was a youngster
Mihambo has gone on to dominate the event in the last two seasons but the German candidly admits there were times as a younger athlete when she struggled with self-doubts and fears.
&ldquo;When I was a younger athlete, I was often struggling with myself, that I was also not believing in my potential,&rdquo; she said. &ldquo;Dealing with all those thoughts and getting to know myself has helped me to become a better athlete.&rdquo;
Mihambo explained how journalising, reflecting and meditating has helped her to fulfil her potential and how meditation played a key part in her winning jump at the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha. After two rounds, Mihambo found herself on the cusp of elimination before producing the longest jump of her career so far with her third attempt.
On her winning third round jump, Mihambo said: &ldquo;I just started to meditate and then I just let go of everything in that moment...I was certainly quite happy with the distance of 7.30m!&rdquo;
The episode can be watched in full below.
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My Story Thumbnail Malaika Mihambo Nologov2

Mihambo: “When I was 12 I dreamt of being number one but these were just dreams”

In the fifth episode of European Athletics' mini-documentary series&nbsp;My Story,&nbsp;Croatia's Sandra Perkovic narrates her path from throwing 35 metres to becoming the first athlete in any event to win five European titles in the same event.
Perkovic also remembers some of the key figures who have helped her along the way, including her mother who she described as her biggest supporter. 'She taught me that every year I need to work like it's my last year and I need to give more than one hundred percent,' said Perkovic who also recalled how she surprised her by coming to watch her win her fifth title at the Berlin 2018 European Athletics Championships.
Initially a shot putter in her formative years in the sport, Perkovic soon found her niche in the discus. Her long-time coach Ivan Ivancic, who died in 2014 shortly after Perkovic won her third European title in Zurich, predicted that she would one day become an Olympic champion even when she was only throwing the discus 35 metres.
'Ivan is a very important person in my life...he showed me the way, he gave me his best advice, he gave me power, courage and respect for the others. I'm still using those gifts from him,' said Perkovic.
The episode can be watched in its entirely in the video below.&nbsp;
The sixth episode featuring reigning world and European long jump champion Malaika Mihambo will be published later this month.
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'I want to be remembered as the best female discus athlete ever.' Sandra Perkovic

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Perkovic: “I want to be remembered as the best female discus athlete ever”

The idyllic Czech spa town of Podebrady will be playing host to this year&rsquo;s edition of the European Race Walking Team Championships, previously known as the European Race Walking Cup, on 16 May which has attracted interest from more than 250 race walkers representing 26 countries.
For the vast majority of prospective competitors, Podebrady will be familiar territory as the town hosted the 2017 edition of the biennial competition which was held under its previous alias of the European Race Walking Cup. And for any newcomers to Podebrady, this might not be their only excursion either as the event returns to Podebrady in both 2023 and 2025.
The roots of race walking in Podebrady date as far back as the nineteenth century and the town remains a lucrative fixture on the international circuit. The annual race walking gala is a European Athletics Race Walking Permit Meeting and this year&rsquo;s event will be held in conjunction with the European Race Walking Team Championships.
Last year&rsquo;s event, which was moved from its traditional springtime slot to the autumn owing to the coronavirus pandemic, was won by Sweden&rsquo;s Perseus Karlstrom and Italy&rsquo;s Antonella Palmisano, both of whom will be looking to extend their excellent records at the European Race Walking Team Championships.
After winning bronze in Podebrady four years ago, Karlstrom confidently strode to the individual title in the 20km race walk in Alytus, Lithuania in 2019 and recent form suggests the Swede is well placed to successfully defend his individual title in Podebrady next month.
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Competing as a guest at the Spanish Championships in Murcia last month, Karlstrom marched to a dominant victory in 1:18:45 ahead of a strong Spanish contingent who won the team title in Alytus two years ago. Karlstrom won by almost one minute from European silver medallist Diego Carrera Garcia who will spearhead the Spanish team in Podebrady.&nbsp;
Karlstrom is currently the joint second fastest race walker in Europe this year, only three seconds behind Turkey&rsquo;s improving Salih Korkmaz who leads the 2021 European list with a national record of 1:18:42. Russia&rsquo;s Vasiliy Mizinov has also clocked 1:18:45 this year although he is yet to receive clearance to compete internationally as a neutral athlete.
Palmisano won her individual title on this very course in Podebrady four years ago when she memorably brandished a &lsquo;Forza Antonella&rsquo; flag as she crossed the finish-line but her title defence in Alytus ended in tears as she dropped out mid-race with illness.
Like Karlstrom, Palmisano will face a strong Spanish contingent in the 20km race walk including reigning European champion Maria Perez who leads the 2021 European list with 1:28:26 along with Laura Garcia-Caro and Raquel Gonzalez who won individual silver and bronze medals two years ago and led Spain to the team title.
As well as men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s 10km races for U20 athletes, the programme also includes the men&rsquo;s 50km race walk as well as the newly introduced women&rsquo;s 35km race walk. The latter event is due to feature Eleonora Giorgi who won the 50km race walk in Alytus two years ago in a European record of 4:04:50.&nbsp;
The men's 50km race walk will be graced by the venerable and indefitagable Jesus Angel Garcia who will almost certainly be the oldest participant competing in Podebrady at the age of 51. Garcia won the inaugural edition of the European Race Walking Cup in 1996 before subsequent victories in 2000 and 2001. A good showing in Podebrady will put Garcia in the fray to represent Spain at a potentially record-breaking eighth successive Olympic Games in Tokyo later this summer.
Media wishing to cover the European Race Walking Team Championships can apply for accreditation by downloading and filling out <a href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/assets/57dc4273-d055-481f-9c2a-c1cdaec8ef34" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this form</a>.

Perseus Karlstrom set a European-leading time of 1:19:54 to win the men's 20km race walk title

One month to go until the European Race Walking Team Championships

The coronavirus pandemic put the European Throwing Cup in danger of being cancelled for the second successive season but thankfully for Europe&rsquo;s throwing exponents, the event will be going ahead this year albeit on different dates and in a different location.&nbsp;
Initially due to take place Leiria, Portugal in its traditional mid-March slot, the event will now be heading east to Split, Croatia on 8-9 May when the European Throwing Cup will be celebrating its 20th anniversary.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Split seems a suitable place as any to celebrate this landmark as Croatia had the distinction of coming away with two gold medals in the throwing events at the 2016 Olympics, a feat matched only by Germany and the United States. And the good news for the organisers is that both Sandra Perkovic and Sara Kolak have been named on Croatia&rsquo;s provisional team for Split.
This will also be the third time Croatia has staged the European Throwing Cup after Pula held the second edition in 2002 before Split hosted the 2008 when Perkovic made her senior debut for Croatia at the age of 17.
Croatia will become just the third country after Spain and Portugal to have staged three editions of the European Throwing Cup which is arguably the most well-travelled of all European competitions. Over the last two decades, event being staged as far afield as Tenerife in Spain and Tel Aviv in Israel.
The European Throwing Cup was first staged in Nice, France for the first time on 9-10 March 2001 under its initial alias of the European Winter Throwing Challenge. As part of the rapid expansion of the continental calendar in the late 1990s and the early 2000s, the event was introduced ostensibly to offer European throwers a high quality international event ahead of the summer season and an early opportunity to achieve the qualifying standards for upcoming summer championships.
Less than 150 athletes from 21 nations took part in the first edition in Nice but the event has expanded substantially over the last two decades. Initially a senior-only event for the first six editions, separate U23 events were added to the programme from 2007 and have remained a permanent fixture since then. This year, more than 400 athletes from 43 countries have registered their interest in competing according to the provisional entries.
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One of the most successful athletes in the history of the European Throwing Cup is reigning Olympic silver medallist Melina Robert-Michon from France who was present for the first edition of the event in 2001.
Robert-Michon won a bronze medal on that occasion and has since amassed an unsurpassed total of 10 podium finishes at the European Throwing Cup, including victories in 2014, 2016 and 2017.&nbsp;
And even though Robert-Michon isn&rsquo;t competing at this year&rsquo;s edition of the European Throwing Cup, the French veteran is still going strong at the age of 41. She has already set a season&rsquo;s best of 63.43m this year which represents her 19th season in which she has surpassed the 60 metre-line since 1999.&nbsp;
Another legend of the European Throwing Cup is the now-retired Estonian discus thrower Gerd Kanter who won the event six times between 2003 and 2009, setting a still-standing championship record of 69.70m to claim his sixth and final victory in the discus in the benign sunshine in Tenerife in 2009.
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Another championship record which will surely stand the test of time - unless he breaks it himself - is the men&rsquo;s javelin record of 92.70m set by Germany&rsquo;s Johannes Vetter in Leiria in 2018. Vetter&rsquo;s mark added almost seven metres to the event record which was set only one year earlier by his compatriot Julian Weber in Las Palmas on the Balearic island of Majorca in Spain.&nbsp;
World hammer record-holder Anita Wlodarczyk from Poland also features on the roll-of-honour and on the list of championship records. Wlodarczyk gave notice of her immensurate ability when she handed reigning world champion Betty Heidler a surprise defeat when Split held the European Throwing Cup in 2008 before retaining her crown one year later when she set the championship record of 75.05m in Tenerife.
Other notable Polish hammer winners include the late Kamila Skolimwska and Szymon Zi&oacute;łkowski - both 2000 Olympic champions - who took a Polish double in 2006, and reigning four-time world champion Pawel Fajdek who took victories at the European Throwing Cup in both 2014 and 2018.
In senior events, hosts Croatia have only amassed one victory courtesy of hammer thrower Ivana Brkljacic in 2005 but Croatian throwers have been successful in the U23 events. In one of her very few past appearances at the European Throwing Cup, Sandra Perkovic won the U23 title in Bar, Montenegro in 2012 with a championship record 67.19m and her teammate Martin Markovic holds the corresponding U23 men&rsquo;s record with 63.24m.
In other events, reigning Olympic javelin champion Sara Kolak has won gold and silver medals at U23 event while Marija Tolj followed in Perkovic&rsquo;s footsteps by winning the U23 discus title in 2019, a title she is eligible to defend in Split next month.

Germany's Johannes Vetter decimated the championship record at the European Throwing Cup with 92.70m

Johannes Vetter in Leiria

European Throwing Cup to celebrate its 20th birthday in Split

European U20 long jump champion Larissa Iapichino and European indoor 60m champion Marcell Lamont Jacobs are both due to compete on home soil at the Meeting International Citta Di Savona on 13 May.
The Meeting International Citta Di Savona is the first scheduled European Athletics Outdoor Area Permit Meeting of the summer. The full schedule of meetings can be found <a href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/assets/4a77b53b-49cb-4a62-822c-c1daac98817d" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
Iapichino made the headlines at this meeting last July when she bounded out to her outdoor lifetime best of 6.80m just one day prior to her 18th birthday. The precocious Italian has since improved further, eclipsing Heike Drechsler&rsquo;s world indoor U20 record with 6.91m at her national indoor championships to also equal the national indoor record held by her mother Fiona May.
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After a brief but successful indoor season which was capped off by a fifth-place finish in Torun 2021, Savona will represent Iapichino&rsquo;s first competition of the outdoor season in which she will aim to defend her European U20 title in Tallinn before making her anticipated Olympic debut in Tokyo later in the season.
Her teammate Marcell Lamont Jacobs was one of the breakthrough performers in Torun where he stormed to the European indoor 60m title in a national indoor record and world leading time of 6.47.
Jacobs will contest his first 100m of the season in Savona but he is expected to make his outdoor season&rsquo;s debut two weeks earlier at the World Athletics Relays in Silesia, Poland on 1-2 May. He is currently the third fastest Italian in history with a 10.03 PB behind Filippo Tortu (9.99) and the legendary Pietro Mennea (10.01).
The organisers have also announced that Italian 100m record-holder Filippo Tortu will also compete, setting up an exciting domestic head-to-head to begin the Italian outdoor season in earnest.
Former European 400m hurdles champion Yasmani Copello from Turkey is also due to compete while leading Italian sprinter hurdlers Luminosa Bogliolo and Elisa Di Lazzaro are due to face Hungary&rsquo;s Luca Kozak in the 100m hurdles.

TORUN, POLAND - MARCH 06: Larissa Iapichino of Italy competes in the Women's Long Jump final during the second session on Day 2 of European Athletics Indoor Championships at Arena Torun on March 06, 2021 in Torun, Poland. Sporting stadiums around Poland remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors.on March 06, 2021 in Torun, Poland. (Photo by Adam Nurkiewicz/Getty Images)

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Italian stars Iapichino and Jacobs to headline at home in Savona

Recently crowned NCAA indoor heptathlon champion Karel Tilga from Estonia converted this fine form onto the outdoor stage with a near 400 point-improvement on his decathlon lifetime best at the Specs Town Invitational in Athens, Georgia on Saturday (10).
Tilga scored a lifetime best and world leading total of 8484 points which also far exceeds the Olympic qualifying standard of 8350 points for Tokyo later this summer. He also moves to fifth on the Estonian all-time list which is still headed by Erki Nool&rsquo;s venerable score of 8815 points from the 2001 World Championships.
After nine events, Tilga trailed Garrett Scatling from the United States by 177 points but the 23-year-old from Tartu, who stands at just over two metres tall, reeled in the leader with an impressive 4:26.95 clocking in the 1500m, one of four individual set across the two days, to win by eight points from Scatling.
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Tilga also set outdoor lifetime bests in the three jumping events with 7.69m in the long jump and 2.10m in the high jump on the first day and 4.92m in the pole vault on the second day.
After missing the majority of the indoor season due to a leg injury, his teammate Maicel Uibo also competed in selected events across the two days. His individual performances included 2.10m in the high jump and 5.12m in the pole vault.&nbsp;
European indoor silver and bronze medallists Cindy Sember and Tiffany Ofili finished in the same order in the 100m hurdles at the Miramar Invitational in Florida on Saturday (10) afternoon, a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver meeting.
Cresting a tailwind of 2.7 m/s, the American-born British sisters clocked 12.55 and 12.57 respectively in the final in a race won by world record-holder Kendra Harrison in 12.38.
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Their teammate and fellow European indoor medallist Jodie Williams, who won bronze in the 400m as well as silver in the 4x400m relay, was also in good early season form in Lubbock, Texas with marginally wind-aided times of 11.23 (2.3) in the 100m and 22.81 (2.1) in the 200m.
Germany&rsquo;s Rebekka Haase also broke the 11 second-barrier in the 100m in Las Palmas, Spain albeit with a generous 3.6 m/s tailwind. Haase stopped the clock at 10.99 while her teammate Corinna Schwab clocked 22.99 (3.1) in the 200m and 36.43 in the 300m.
Ringer improves best marathon time to 2:08:49 in Siena
Germany&rsquo;s Richard Ringer put himself in a strong position to claim a spot on his country&rsquo;s marathon team for the Tokyo Olympics this year with a big lifetime best of 2:08:49 in a special elite-only race in Siena on Sunday (11).
Ringer was outside sub-2:10 pace through halfway in 65:16 but the German picked up the pace significantly in the latter stages. He covered the 10 kilometre split between 30 and 40 kilometres in 29:45 and improved his position from 34th at the 30 kilometre checkpoint to 17th at the finish.
&ldquo;I overtook quite a few runners there, that was fun. In the end, I was even able to sprint the last 300 metres,&rdquo; said Ringer who covered the second half in 63:33.
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Khalid Choukoud from the Netherlands and Estonia&rsquo;s Roman Fosti also achieved the Olympic qualifying times with 2:09:55 and 2:10:46 respectively but Italy&rsquo;s Stefano La Rosa agonisingly missed out on the qualifying time of 2:11:30 by 12 seconds.
Former world and European marathon silver medallist Valeria Straneo, 45, also narrowly missed out on making her third Olympic marathon team. In a race won by Kenya&rsquo;s Angela Tanui in an Italian all-comers&rsquo; record of 2:20:08, Straneo fell just over one minute adrift of the qualifying standard of 2:29:30 in 20th with 2:30:33.
At the German Race Walking Championships in Frankfurt on Saturday (10), Jonathan Hilbert led three race walkers under the Olympic qualifying mark of 3:50:00 in the 50km race walk. Hilbert clocked a since-improved world lead of 3:43:33 to win by exactly five minutes from Nathaniel Seiler (3:48:44) and Carl Dohmann (3:48:54).
Juan Antonio Perez took a dominant win at the Spanish 10,000m Championships in Torrevieja on Saturday (10) in 27:59.45. Maitane Melero won the women's title in 33:07.96. 
At the Portuguese 10,000m Championships in Coimbra on Saturday (10), Samuel Barata and Carla Salome Rocha came away with the titles in 28:03.94 and 33:18.73 respectively.
Danijel Furtula improved his Montenigrin discus record to 65.59m in Bar, Montenegro on Saturday and the precocious Andrea Vilagos, 17, from Serbia surpassed the 60 metre-line in the javelin for the first time in her career with 60.46m in Sremska Mitrovica, Serbia on Sunday (11).

BERLIN, GERMANY - AUGUST 07:  Karel Tilga of Estonia competes in the Men's Decathlon High Jump during day one of the 24th European Athletics Championships at Olympiastadion on August 7, 2018 in Berlin, Germany.  (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)

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Tilga amasses world leading decathlon score of 8484 points in Athens

European Athletics is delighted to announce that its Annual Review 2020 is now available.&nbsp;
A page-turning version of the Annual Review 2020 is available <a href="https://online.flippingbook.com/view/811619919/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.&nbsp;
<a href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/custom/downloads/2b2c64ed-0b09-4234-811b-e49a93397b3f/Annual%20Review%202020.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Annual Review can also be downloaded as a pdf file (20Mb) here.&nbsp;</a>
In a year which sadly saw few athletics competitions from March onwards owing to the coronavirus pandemic, there were still many stunning performances from European athletes and a number of continental records.
This year, exceptionally, the Annual Review was delayed from its usual February publication date in order to include coverage of the Torun 2021 European Athletics Indoor Championships as well as record some of the institutional initiatives in the first few months of 2021.
In addition, despite the obvious challenges presented in 2020, European Athletics&rsquo; institutional and corporate activities during the year are reviewed. Extensive articles on 50 Years of European Athletics and the innovative online European Athletics e-Convention in October are also included in this year&rsquo;s publication.
In the nine years since it was introduced in 2012, the Annual Review has become essential reading for athletics fans, Member Federations, the media, European Athletics&rsquo; commercial partners, other sports organisations and stakeholders.
It has become one of the most respected annual publications in the sport, not just in Europe but around the world.

Annual Review 2020 Front Cover

European Athletics Annual Review 2020 is now available

The Spanish athletics federation (RFEA) and <a href="https://www.mondoworldwide.com/emea/en/sport/track-and-field/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">European Athletics Partner Mondo</a> announced a four-year extension to their long-standing collaboration today (6), a partnership which has been in existence since 1995.
The agreement, which will last until the end of 2024, was made at Mondo Ib&eacute;rica&rsquo;s main office in Zaragoza with the signatories being RFEA President and European Athletics Council Member Raul Chapado and Mondo Ib&eacute;rica General Director Santiago Palomera.
&ldquo;This solid and sustainable alliance between Mondo Ib&eacute;rica and the RFEA means mutual support to achieve common goals for the benefit of athletics and athletes. There is a strong commitment to sharing like-minded visions and ideas inspired by innovation and new sports trends,&rdquo; commented Chapado.
Palomera added: &ldquo;Athletics forms part of Mondo's DNA. We work daily so that athletes, from children who discover this sport to those who participate in the most important competitions in the world, have the best possible surfaces and equipment.&rdquo;
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Mondo and Spanish athletics have been inexorably linked for more than three decades, with the Italian company&rsquo;s Spanish subsidiary having been established in 1988.
The Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games saw Mondo for the first time supply the track for the main Olympic Stadium at the world's most prestigious sporting event, and the venue high in the hills above the Catalan city famously witnessed Fermin Cacho&rsquo;s historic 1500m triumph on home soil as well as a plethora of other stirring Spanish successes.
Mondo also provided the competition surface for the Barcelona 2010 European Athletics Championships in the same stadium, 18 years after the Olympic Games.
In addition, Mondo was the track supplier for the memorable Valencia 1998 European Athletics Indoor Championships and Madrid 2005 European Athletics Indoor Championships.
Spain has also been an enthusiastic host of global athletics competitions with Mondo also being the official supplier at the 1999 World Athletics Championships in Sevilla as well as the 1991 and 2007 World Athletics Indoor Championships, in Sevilla and Valencia respectively.
Currently three of Spain&rsquo;s four World Athletics Class 1 Certified Athletics Facilities &ndash; Almeria, Barcelona and Sevilla &ndash; are Mondo tracks, as well as the compnay having installed tracks at a multitude of other outdoor stadian across the country. In addition, all three of Spain&rsquo;s World Athletics Certified Indoor Athletics Facilities &ndash; San Sebastian, Valencia and Madrid, the latter staging the annual World Athletics Indoor Tour meeting &ndash; feature Mondo tracks.

Jul 1992:  Fermin Cacho of Spain spreads his arms in jubilation as he out distances a field of runners to the finish line to win the gold medal in the men's 1500m race during the 1992 Summer Olympic Games held in Barcelona, Spain.  The success of the Spanish competitors in the Games of Barcelona surprised the world and did much for the country's pride.  Many of their Olympians fought against the odds and won, none more so than Fermin Cacho who was certainly not among the favourites for one of the blue ribboned events of the track, the 1500 metres, but who took advantage of a strange tactical race and used bold courage to destroy the hesitant and faint hearted.  Minutes later there was the rare scene of the King of Spain,Juan Carlos, setting protocol aside and embracing him in the Royal Box; such was the exuberance and joy of an Olympic day to be remembered by all Spaniards.  Mandatory Credit: Mike Hewitt/Allsport

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European Athletics Partner Mondo extends involvement in Spanish athletics for four more years

European Athletics has signed a long-term agreement with Atos as&nbsp;their Official Digital Partner in a deal which extends until 2024.
The first results of this collaboration were witnessed at this year&rsquo;s European Athletics Indoor Championships in Torun, Poland from 4-7 March 2021 where Atos designed and developed a new digital ecosystem to manage data for the event &ndash; a first for a major European Athletics event.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Atos will be looking to deliver further innovative digital services to increase the online audience and reach at athletics events in Europe. In Torun, Atos was already able to support European Athletics by processing and publishing the schedule and results for all events, enabling athletics fans to view all official competition information live on the European Athletics website.&nbsp;&nbsp;
The first version of the new digital platform included a website with a headless content management system (CMS) for faster and more flexible content delivery than a traditional CMS. The new solution which is currently being designed will help to increase audience and collect new datasets of fan interaction, with the aim to reinforce personal experiences and increase fan participation.&nbsp;
With the support of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), digital agency Sr. Burns and wTVision, the number of live TV hours viewed in Torun jumped by an average of nearly 20 percent in several key markets, compared to the previous edition in Glasgow two years ago.&nbsp;
As European Athletics&rsquo; Official Digital Partner, Atos was involved in the conception and delivery of a remote mixed zone concept, enabling media to book virtual interview rooms and provide them with exclusive access to athletes. This facilitated the Europe-wide coverage of the event by media who were not able to be on-site due to travel restrictions.
On the collaboration, European Athletics CEO Christian Milz said: &ldquo;European Athletics was already working with Atos as our Official Timing and Data Partner to deliver timing, scoring and results at our events.&nbsp;Now with this new agreement Atos becomes our Official Digital Partner allowing us to take our relationship to the next level, where we intend to build a true digital offering in order to better serve the European athletics fans.&rdquo;&nbsp;
Patrick Adiba, Global Head of Olympic Games and Major Events at Atos, said: &ldquo;As the governing body for athletics in Europe, European Athletics has to meet the ever-growing demands of fans and the sports market. With over 30 years&rsquo; experience in the sports industry, our mission is to serve the sports and major events ecosystem with innovative technology to create amazing immersive experiences for spectators both inside and outside the venue.&nbsp;
&ldquo;Our objective is to fully support European Athletics to win in the &lsquo;new normal&rsquo; with an integrated digital fan experience."&nbsp;
Beyond Torun 2021, Atos will continue working with European Athletics and the EBU to meet the ever-growing demands of fans and media for athletics content.&nbsp;

TORUN, POLAND - MARCH 07: Athletes start for the Men’s 3000 Metres final during the second session on Day 3 of the European Athletics Indoor Championships at Arena Torun on March 07, 2021 in Torun, Poland. Sporting stadiums around Poland remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images for European Athletics)

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European Athletics signs long-term Official Digital Partner deal with Atos

Although the Baltic nations of Latvia and Estonia are hardly among Europe&rsquo;s largest countries, the athletics federations in the two are playing outsized roles in the promotion of European Athletics&rsquo; I Run Clean anti-doping education programme and providing leadership examples for other federations in the fight against doping in sport.
The two federations were among the first in Europe to make the completion of the eight I Run Clean e-learning modules mandatory for athletes at the national level, leading to significant increases in the number of users registered on the platform, and the Estonian Athletics Association (EKJL) is currently partnering with 10 other organisations working to develop the programme and take clean sport messages to new target audiences.
After making I Run Clean certification a condition for obtaining a new athlete&rsquo;s license in 2018, the Latvian Athletic Association (LVS) extended the requirement so that from 2020 even existing license-holders in the U20 and senior categories needed to be certified in order to compete.
Since that decision, the number of Latvian users registered on the I Run Clean platform has grown to more than 1,700, which is at least 75% of the country&rsquo;s approximately 2,200 licensed athletes and the highest uptake rate for any federation.
According to General Secretary Dmitrijs Milkevics, the LVS started its I Run Clean cooperation prior the programme&rsquo;s official launch back in 2017 by working with the national anti-doping agency to translate the contents of the e-learning programme from English to Latvian.
&ldquo;After several anti-doping rule violations in our sport, we decided to become more involved in educating athletes and coaches about clean sport and anti-doping rules and we saw a good opportunity to implement I Run Clean in our educational system,&rdquo; he explained. &ldquo;We believe the content is important in creating understanding of the rules and procedures as well as other information needed to be actively involved in the fight against doping in sport.&rdquo;
Further north in Estonia, the EKJL made the completion of the I Run Clean e-learning programme mandatory for athletes taking part in national championships from the start of this year and has seen the number of users from the country registered on the platform jump from 188 to more than 630 in just three months, despite the limitations on the national competition programme due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
EKJL General Secretary Sirje Lippe, who is also working on ethical compliance education as a member of the World Athletics Governance Commission, was initially concerned that grassroots athletes might view implementation of the new requirement negatively and be difficult to persuade but says there have been no difficulties so far.
&ldquo;I think our athletes see completing the programme as a part of a professional approach to their training and preparation. For us in the federation, I Run Clean is not a temporary campaign, it is an established part of the sport at every level,&rdquo; said Lippe.
&ldquo;Now we see a lot of our coaches registering to go through the e-learning programme because they are themselves interested and because they want to know what the athletes are learning,&rdquo; she added.
As a partner in the I Run Clean development project, which is co-funded with a &euro;324,000 grant from the European Commission&rsquo;s Erasmus+ programme, the EKJL is helping to build on this interest through the creation of new e-learning modules and workshops for coaches and others in the athlete support network.
The federation is currently leading one of the project&rsquo;s main work packages, which includes producing content and hosting 30 volunteers from six countries later this year in Tallinn for a training camp to prepare them to deliver the workshops when they return back home.
&ldquo;We believe I Run Clean is already an excellent tool for working with athletes and we are happy to be an active partner in the project to disseminate it further and bring more people in our sport into this important conversation,&rdquo; said Lippe.
The I Run Clean anti-doping education programme was launched in 2017 and certification is now a mandatory entry requirement for all athletes wishing to take part in future European Athletics championship events.
Available in 26 languages, I Run Clean is also open to grassroots athletes and anyone, young or old, who is interested in knowing more about clean sport.
To date more than 21,000 individuals across Europe have registered on the I Run Clean e-learning platform and nearly 16,800 have completed the programme and received I Run Clean diplomas.
For more information and to take part in the programme visit <a href="https://www.irunclean.org/Home/Cultures" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.irunclean.org</a>.
Throughout 2021 and 2022, 11 partners led by European Athletics and the Paris-based Agency for the Development of Athletics in Europe will be conducting a project to expand I Run Clean.
The project deliverables include new modules for the I Run Clean e-learning programme as well as local workshops for athletes, coaches, athlete support personnel and parents that will be led by trained ambassadors in Bulgaria, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy and Spain.
For more information, please visit <a href="https://www.iruncleanproject.eu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">www.iruncleanproject.eu</a>.

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Baltic federations embrace I Run Clean programme

European Athletics has announced seven more online seminars which form part of an extended European Athletics Medical Webinar Series.&nbsp;
The Medical Webinar Series was launched by European Athletics last year to ensure that expert knowledge is still imparted during coronavirus times when travel might not be possible.
The success of the initiative is such that the series has been extended through until 24 June with seven more webinars slated to take place from 1 April.
The next seminar on 1 April will be given by Professor Karsten Hollander on the subject of heat, health and athletics. The full schedule can be found <a href="https://directus.european-athletics.com/assets/0ce51ad7-2ee0-4efa-b23d-73fcdc6e3015" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.
The series is aimed predominantly at medical experts, physios, sport scientists and medical staff of Member Federations. Prospective attendees are invited by register by clicking <a href="https://registration.socio.events/e/medicalwebinarseries" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a> and following the registration process.
For more information on the Medical Webinar Series, please send an e-mail to <a href="mailto:medical@european-athletics.org">medical@european-athletics.org</a>.&nbsp;

GLASGOW, SCOTLAND - MARCH 03:  Jiri Sykora of The Czech Republic receives medical attention during the pole vault in the men's heptathlon on day three of the 2019 European Athletics Indoor Championships at Emirates Arena on March 3, 2019 in Glasgow, Scotland.  (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)

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European Athletics extends Medical Webinar Series until 24 June

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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.

Spar

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. 

Le Gruyere

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.

Toyo Tires

With around 4000 items, LIQUI MOLY offers a global, uniquely broad range of automotive chemicals: motor oils and additives, greases and pastes, sprays and car care, glues and sealants. Founded in 1957, LIQUI MOLY develops and produces its products exclusively in Germany where it is the undisputed market leader for additives and is repeatedly voted the best oil brand. The company sells its products in more than 150 countries and generated €569 million in sales in 2019.

Liqui Moli

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).


Atos

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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