IAFF President Nebiolo pays
tribute to Wilson Kipketer:
"He is a legendary athlete"
March
10 1997
MONTE CARLO -
Monaco - IAAF President Dr Primo Nebiolo
addressed a warm message of congratulations to
Wilson Kipketer (DEN) at the closing ceremony of
the 6th World Indoor Championships in
Paris. "I would like to express my heartfelt
congratulations to Wilson Kipketer who has these
days - during the World Indoor Championships -
stunned the public and performed beyond even our
most optimistic expectations. He is a formidable
champion and has earned his place among the
"Athletics Legends" who have marked the
history of Athletics."
Dr Nebiolo
continued: "Wilson Kipketer, together with
others such as Haile Gebrselassie, Hicham El
Guerrouj, , Charles Austin, Stefka Kostadinova,
Gail Devers, Iván Pedroso, Mary Slaney-Decker
and Yekaterina Podkopayeva has made this a great
world championships and a wonderful start to a
year which will, without a doubt, be the Year of
Athletics.
The idea of
offering a financial reward, particularly to
those breaking a world record, has demonstrated
its importance. Indeed, Kipketer beat the world
record in the 800m twice in three days ‘just
to be on the safe side’. This is not an easy
exploit in athletics.
This World
Championships has seen other records, including
the number of spectators and that of journalists
present - over 700 representatives of the written
press and television. The greatest TV coverage
yet for this event was broadcast all around the
world.
And so 1997 has
started very well for Athletics and you are all
invited to the World Cross Country Championships
on 23 March, in Turin. For the first time ever,
this event will take place in the heart of a city
and, more precisely, in the magnificent setting
of the Parco del Valentino: a record number of
participating athletes from a record number of
countries is already confirmed and this will
ensure a very high standard of competition. This
will be a great show and a marvellous celebration
which, on the evening of 22 March will start with
a major concert organised by the IAAF."
Confirmation of
the very high standard of the 6th
World Indoor Championships comes from the
comparative statistics. The overall results,
particularly for the men, are better than any
previous edition. The progress in middle distance
events (800m-1500m-3000m) is particularly
significant for both men and women. Eight out of
14 of the men’s events improved on Barcelona
’95 and two more produced equal results. Of
special importance for the women, the 4x400m
world record of the Russian team and the world
record equalising 4.40m pole vault of Stacy
Dragina (USA).
The interest in
the World Indoor Championships was sustained on
the Internet, too. The IAAF official web site
provided a real-time results service documented
with commentary and photographs of the
competitors. During the three days of the event,
the site had more visitors than the whole of the
preceding month.
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