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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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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”

With less than 100 days until the European Athletics U20 Championships take place in Tallinn, Estonia from 15-18 July, the organisers have secured the services of one of the country's most renowned DJs who has been tasked with writing the official anthem for the championships.&nbsp;
NO&Euml;P, whose real name is Andres K&otilde;pper, caught the attention of music lovers and industry professionals alike in 2015 with his debut track Move&nbsp;and has amassed 23 million streams on Spotify since then.&nbsp;
He said: "Writing an anthem for the European Athletics U20 Championships sounds very absorbing and challenging. I'm looking forward to working with it and I am grateful to be able to contribute to such an event!"
NO&Euml;P's live shows are as attention grabbing&nbsp; as his recorded music. K&otilde;pper is a charismatic performer and has given memorable live performances around the world, including international festivals such as Flow, Positivus and Europavox.
[INSTAGRAM ID="https://www.instagram.com/p/CNW5-lGJBFX"]
The European Athletics U20 Championships will be returning to Tallinn one decade after the Estonian capital city last staged the biennial event. Winners of that championships included Dafne Schippers, Kevin Mayer, Pierre-Ambroise Bosse and Mariya Lasitskene, all of whom went on to win world titles on the senior stage.

TALLINN, ESTONIA - JULY 09:  Miia Sillman of Finland competes in the Heptathlon 100m Hurdles during day one of the European Athletics U23 Championships at Kadriorg Stadium on July 9, 2015 in Tallinn, Estonia.  (Photo by Joosep Martinson/Getty Images)

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Estonian DJ NOËP to write the official anthem for Tallinn 2021

The European Throwing Cup was initially scheduled to take place in Leiria, Portugal in its traditional mid-March slot on the calendar but owing to the coronavirus pandemic, the event will now be going ahead at a new location as well as on different dates.
This year&rsquo;s edition of the European Throwing Cup is due to begin one month today (8) in the new host city of Split, Croatia on 8-9 May and according to the provisional entries, the interest among the continent&rsquo;s throwers is still exceptionally high.&nbsp;
Despite the late staging of the event, more than 400 throwers from 43 Member Federations have expressed an interest in competing in this year&rsquo;s competition which takes place at the Stadion Park Mladezi.&nbsp;
While predominantly used for football, the Stadion Park Mladezi also has a proud history of staging athletics events. The stadium was renovated primarily for the 1979 Mediterranean Games and the arena also played host to the 2008 edition of the European Throwing Cup, the last time Croatia staged this event which dates back to 2001 in terms of antiquity.
At the 2008 European Throwing Cup, Poland&rsquo;s Anita Wlodarczyk handed recently crowned world champion Betty Heidler from Germany a surprise defeat in the hammer - 71.84m to 71.10m - and Estonian great Gerd Kanter was at the height of his powers in the discus, winning for a fifth time at the European Throwing Cup ahead of soon-to-be world champion Robert Harting from Germany.
On that occasion, a 17-year-old Sandra Perkovic finished a lowly 19th in the discus with 47.25m but from this humble debut on the senior stage, the home superstar has added almost 25 metres to her lifetime best since then and is arguably the greatest female discus thrower in history.
Perkovic seldom competes at the European Throwing Cup - her last appearances dates back to 2012 when she won the U23 competition in Bar, Montenegro with a championship record of 67.19m - but the local organisers will be hoping the heroine of Croatian athletics will take to the discus circle in Split one month from now.
And while the European Throwing Cup seldom features on Perkovic&rsquo;s schedule, the five-time European discus champion traditionally opens her season in the Stadion Park Mladezi, the usual host of the Croatian Winter Throwing Championships. It was at this competition in this arena where Perkovic surpassed the 70 metre-line for the first time in her illustrious career, reaching out to 70.51m in 2014.
There will also be high expectations on fellow Olympic champion Sara Kolak if she competes in the javelin. Now based in Norway under the tutelage of two-time Olympic champion Andreas Thorkildsen, Kolak won the U23 division of the javelin on her last appearance at the European Throwing Cup in Las Palmas in 2017.
One of the standout individual performances in European Throwing Cup history came the following year later in the same event when Germany&rsquo;s world champion Johannes Vetter smashed the event record by more than seven metres, reaching out to a phenomenal early season effort of 92.70m in Leiria. That record remains one of the most secure on the books unless Vetter himself makes himself available for selection in Split next month.&nbsp;
Final entries for the European Throwing Cup will be available at the end of the month. There will also be comprehensive coverage of the event on the European Athletics website and live streaming details will be communicated nearer to the event.

BERLIN, GERMANY - AUGUST 11:  Sandra Perkovic of Croatia competes in the Women's Discuss Final during day five of the 24th European Athletics Championships at Olympiastadion on August 11, 2018 in Berlin, Germany. This event forms part of the first multi-sport European Championships.  (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)

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One month to go until the European Throwing Cup

France is sending a team of seventeen athletes to compete at the rescheduled European Throwing Cup which takes place in Split, Croatia on 8-9 May.
There will be high hopes for individual victories in both the men&rsquo;s and women&rsquo;s hammer courtesy of Quentin Bigot and Alexandra Tavernier, both of whom have won senior medals at the World Athletics Championships.
Bigot and Tavernier are also both past winners of the European Throwing Cup. Bigot, who won a silver medal at the 2019 World Championships, will be looking to complete the hat-trick after victories in 2017 and 2019 while Tavernier also triumphed in 2017 in between runner-up finishes in 2016 and 2018.
Tavernier has already been in sparkling form this season, extending her French record to 75.38m on her season's debut at the French Winter Throwing Championships in Salon-de-Provence. And in warmer conditions in Split, it is far from inconceivable that the former world bronze medallist could even challenge the championship record held by the great Anita Wlodarczyk from Poland with 75.05m.
The full French team for Split can be found <a href="https://www.athle.fr/asp.net/main.html/html.aspx?htmlid=6130">here</a>. Final entries for the European Throwing Cup will also be available at the end of the month.&nbsp;
*The article has been amended to reflect that Melina Robert-Michon, who has amassed 10 podium finishes in this competition since 2001, will not be competing at the European Throwing Cup in Split after being wrongly named on the French team. Her first competition of the summer will be in Halle, Germany on 15 May.

BYDGOSZCZ, POLAND - AUGUST 11: Alexandra Tavernier of France competes in the women's hammer throw final while European Athletics Team Championships Super League Bydgoszcz 2019 - Day Three at Zawisza Stadium on August 11, 2019 in Bydgoszcz, Poland. (Photo by Adam Nurkiewicz/Getty Images)

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Tavernier and Bigot spearhead French team for Split

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.

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;
[TWITTER ID="http://twitter.com/atletismoRFEA/status/1379382616802099203"]
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.

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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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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.

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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).


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.

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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.

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