Doha: Doha’s bid to host the 2019 IAAF World Championships in Athletics received a significant boost on Friday after international athletics star and Bahamian legend Chris Brown lent his support to the Gulf nation’s proposal.
In 2010, Brown became the 400m World Indoor Champion in Doha and he also holds Olympic, Pan American and outdoor world gold medals in the 4x400m relay. He is a national hero in the Bahamas where the street that his parents still live on has been named after him and where his portrait is displayed on the wall of fame at the Lynden Pindling International Airport.
Brown, whose nickname is “Fireman” because of the level of enthusiasm and energy he brings to each race he competes in, is bringing the same energy and enthusiasm to his support for Doha’s 2019 bid.
He has very fond memories of Doha because his victory here in 2010 was his greatest individual achievement. Brown’s first international medal came over 14 years ago with a bronze at the Sydney Olympics and now he is beginning to turn his attention to the future of his sport.
Speaking on the sidelines of his final Diamond League appearance of the season, Brown said hosting the event in Doha would ensure that the world of athletics has a strong future.
“Winning the World Indoor Championships in Doha is something that I will remember forever. Since it was a world championship there was an amazing atmosphere inside the stadium. The crowd was one of the most supportive crowds I ever competed in front of. They really understood athletics and this is so important to motivating an athlete ahead of one of the most important races of their lives. I definitely have them to thank for my gold medal! And I’m sure any athlete competing in 2019 would share that unbelievable experience,” he said.
“Athletics is my passion and I care about its future. I want the next generation to be inspired by athletics and I feel that it needs to be more innovative. Qatar is really focusing on this thanks to its world-class facilities and initiatives to develop athletics. More regions, countries and ultimately people will be reached thanks to the important steps Qatar is taking on behalf of all nations. Whether it’s ASPETAR or the anti-doping lab, it all makes a difference to the sport worldwide. I believe that Doha 2019 will connect the world of athletics through sporting innovation. Doha has already shown that it can host a fantastic World Championships and I know that it will step up to the mark again in 2019.”
Speaking about Brown’s support for Doha’s bid to host the 2019 IAAF World Championships, Dahlan Jumaan Al Hamad, President of the Qatar Athletics Association, said: “We are delighted and honoured that Chris Brown is supporting the Doha 2019 bid. Not only is Chris an exceptional athlete but he is also a very experienced one. He understands what the
ingredients are for a successful World Championships in Athletics and this experience is hugely helpful to us in ensuring that we focus on the needs of the athletes in every detail of our planning. We are pleased that he recognises the importance of Doha’s sporting innovation and world-class facilities. Qatar is already investing to produce new solutions and research for the benefit of athletics through facilities such as ASPETAR, the ASPIRE Zone and the Anti-Doping Lab Qatar, and we believe that our sporting innovation will set new standards for developing athletics and hosting world-class events. We aim to use the 2019 World Championships to connect the world of athletics by realising its true potential and create an exciting future.”
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