Dahlan Al Hamad (second right), Vice-President and Director General of IAAF WCH Doha 2019 Orgnising Committee and Vice-President of the IAAF, Dr Saud Abdula Ghani (left), Professor at the College of Engineering at Qatar University, Aretha Thurmond (second
DOHA: Qatar yesterday kicked off the official one-year countdown to the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha, saying the venue preparations have been completed way ahead of schedule.
Dahlan Al Hamad, the Director General of the Local Organising Committee (LOC), yesterday announced the Sept 27-Oct 6 mega event next year would be the most modern version of the track and field world.
“We are ready. Today we are starting the clock on our one-year countdown to the championships. As we sit here, I hope you can see and feel everything is in place including a growing excitement and energy amongst the local community,” Al Hamad said.
“I welcome the world to our new-look Khalifa International Stadium - the home of the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019. The track is laid and ready to compete on,” the IAAF Vice-President added.
Doha will stage the 10-day event using state-of-the-art cooling technology, Al Hamad confirmed.
“The new cooling technology is on right now and offering a climate close to what the athletes and fans will experience in 365 days’ time. Our schedule is out, our tourism infrastructure is in place and we have revealed information on our logo and ticketing,” he added.
“We are ready to connect the world of athletics, ready to inspire a new generation and ready to welcome athletes and fans from all corners of the world,” Al Hamad said confidently.
“Our website is now live. I encourage those interested in buying tickets to register their interest on the website. Tickets will go on sale from November this year, with travel packages to support available January 2019,” he said.
He said Qatar will use next year’s Asian Athletics Championships as a test event in April 2019.
“The stadium is now fully functional. It will be used for the 2019 Asian Athletics Championships in April which will be the official test event for the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019 and later host 2022 FIFA World Cup matches,” Al Hamad announced.
The Khalifa International Stadium will be one of the venues to be used by Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
“Originally built in 1976, it has hosted many historic sporting events, including the athletics at the 2006 Asian Games and 2011 Arab Games, as well as the IAAF Final Grand Prix in 2000,” Al Hamad pointed out.
“Renovation works are now completed, transforming this stadium into one of the most technologically advanced stadiums in the world with a GSAS sustainability certificate.
“The state-of-the-art cooling system you feel now will provide a pleasant 24-26 degrees Celsius temperature during competition and can be adjusted as required, guaranteeing optimal conditions for athletes and fans alike while also being considerate on the environment,” he added.
Al Hamad underlined Qatar’s great reputation for being the home of track and field in the region.
“Qatar is no stranger to holding athletics event, having hosted major international athletics events for over 21 years. We are a young and ambitious nation and I hope that seeing is believing and as today we are delivering upon our promises,” Al Hamad said
“To have such an ambition requires innovative, creative and bold thinking. That is why an exciting new schedule exists with new formats. That’s why this stadium has new sustainable, cooling technology and why we want our young athletes and our local community to experience it live for the first time. All these developments take imagination but stem from a single goal of enhancing athletics worldwide,” he said.
“By hosting the first ever IAAF World Athletics Championships in the Middle East, one of our main commitments in partnership with the IAAF on is to grow participation of this great sport across Qatar, the region and the world,” he pointed out.
“Legacy is something that we believe in strongly in Qatar and we are very proud that we can honour our sporting past while celebrating our sporting future by hosting the IAAF World Athletics Championships in Doha in 2019 at the Khalifa International Stadium,” he said.
“Leaving a mark on the people of our region is also important to us. By welcoming the world’s best athletes to Doha, we hope to inspire the generations to come to take to the track or become fans of the sport. Our ticketing structure will offer avid athletics fans an array of new options to Follow Your Champion, traditional Arab Majlis seating or finish line seats. But tickets also provide those new to athletics taste: options as well as group choices for the family. We hope this structure will bring together new and old fans, of all ages, nationalities and culture as well as inspire young people to become athletes. As the clock ticks down to this momentous event for our country and region, we will continue to communicate more of our activities to you all,” Al Hamad said. “We want to thank everyone at the IAAF for your guidance and trust in our hosting of the Middle East’s first-ever IAAF World Athletics Championships and ability to leave a true legacy for the sport across the region,” he added.
