Chia 2016: Press conference highlights

10 Dicembre 2016

The waiting time is almost over. Tomorrow morning the opening ceremony at 10.00 will mark the official start to the 23rd edition of the SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Chia (Cagliari). No less than 498 runners from 33 countries are entered, 12 titles at stake (six at both individual and team level) in a very packed three and a half -hour programme of competitions. The official press conference was held at the Chia Laguna Resort, the official headquarter of the event. It started with the speeches of European Athletics President Svein Arne Hansen and FIDAL President Alfio Giomi, Christian Milz (CEO European Athletics) and the Mayor of Domus de Maria, Maria Concetta Spada. In the second part of the press conference some of the stars of the European Cross Country Championships talked to the media representatives: Yeman Crippa from Italy (European Junior Cross Country champion in 2014 and 2015), Andrew Butchart from Great Britain (sixth at the Olympic Games in the 5000m), Antonio “Toni” Abadia from Spain (European bronze medallist in the 10000m), Karoline Bjerkeli Grovdal from Norway (cross country and 10000m European bronze medallist) and Alina Reh from Germany (double European 3000m and 5000m under 20 gold medallist and European U20 cross country bronze medallist)

Maria Concetta Spada (Mayor of Domus de Maria): “We are proud to host this event in Chia, tourist seaside resort in the Municipality of Domus de Maria, which has become a well-known destination at international level because of the beauty of the area, the warm weather, the services and the chance to practice every sea and land sport during the whole year thanks to the joint committment of the local administration and private organizations, in this case the Chia Laguna Resort. The European Cross Country Championships are part of the project to promote the territory, which has been named the most beatiful beach in Italy, through sport.

Svein Arne Hansen (President European Athletics): “The first impression is fantastic”, said Hansen in Italian before continuing his speech in English. “It’s a privilege to be in this environment thanks to Italy and our sponsor SPAR. Cross country has launched many stars, like Mo Farah who won the European Cross Country title in 2006, and Italian runners are competitive in this event. We are building our future. Here the team competition is particularly important, as well as the individual races. The campaign “I run clean”, which appears on every race bib, is fondamental for us. It was launched just at last year’s edition and will become a trademark for the European Athletics. Athletes can give a message to everyone for a clean sport. I am proud, but I am not happy, with the decision taken in 2015 to suspend Russia in the light of yesterday’s reports. We will launch a true educational programme in the next future at European level in order to take part in the competitions”.

Alfio Giomi (President of the FIDAL and the Local Organizing Committee): “We thank the Mayor, the EA and Giampiero Schiavo to make the Chia Laguna Resort available for this event. Italy will host these championships for the third time, as only Great Britain has done before. We are hosting these competitions in a unique area because of its landscape and natural environment. It was not easy to organize such an event here. Just some days ago there was just a field. Now there is a cross country course”.

Christian Milz (CEO European Athletics): “There are 454 athletes from 33 countries competing, more than 50 media representatives, 26 people working on the television production, 180 members in the national team delegations. The location is ideal, everyone is in the same accommodation and the course is within walking distance. We strongly support cross country, which represents the link between the two outdoor seasons and an alternative to road races. It’s an added value for the development of athletes. Mo Farah won his first senior title in cross country ten years ago in Italy, but some other athletes, like Daniele Meucci, Sifan Hassan, Karoline Bjerkeli Grovdal, Dulce Felix, just to mention some names, have shone in the last few seasons on the track and in cross country. Twice Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee started his career in cross country by taking part at the 2009 European Under 23 Cross Country Championships. The IAAF President Sebastian Coe is an Ambassador of cross country and a former high-level cross country specialist. The team competition is also a key event for these championships”.

What athletes said:

Yeman Crippa (Italy - double European Junior Cross Country champion in 2014 and 2015): “I am aiming to win the gold medal, as it should be. This year it will be much more difficult, but I am here to try and make an attempt to win the gold medal. You cannot know if it will go differently, but I trained well and I am ready. Let’s see what happens tomorrow. I hope it will be a good race. Competing on home soil gives me extra motivation to run a good race. I hope our team will receive a strong support from the crowd. It is always nice to win at home. I am looking forward to tomorrow. If the race doesn’t go well, I hope to finish in the top ten. We have been training her for eight days. We could train on the race course and test it. It looks to suit me. It’s a fast course and I like it. I hope I will be able to do well”.

Andrew Butchart (Great Britain - sixth at the Olympic Games in the 5000m: “It’s an honour to end the year as the captain of the British team. We have a strong team. I am here to win. I think that cross country is important for young athletes but also for the top senior athletes. Many athletes give up running cross country races, but for me they are important in the build-up to the outdoor season. Yes, I know world tennis number 1 player Andy Murray, as we live in the same town Dunblane”.

Antonio “Toni” Abadia (Spain - European 10000m bronze medallist): “We have not the same team as last year but I think we are competitive, although Turkey and Great Britain are very strong. The track is different from cross country. I hope I will be able to finish in the top 10 and improve the 12th place, which represents the best result of my career at this event. I hope we will be able to confirm the team title, but it will be much more difficult”.

Karoline Bjerkeli Grovdal (Norway - European cross country and 10000m bronze medallist): “I don’t think I am the favourite, even though the top two finishers of last year are not competing. There are strong athletes, who reached the podium at the European Championships in Amsterdam, but I will do my best to run for a medal. Norway is a small country, we have not so many great athletes, but it’s nice to show that we can reach a world and european level. I hope to inspire other people to start running”

Alina Reh (Germany - European under 20 champion in the 3000m and 5000m, European under 20 cross country bronze medallist): “The goal is to win a medal. It will be difficult to do it at individual level, but the main aim is the team result. Tomorrow I will team up with Kostanze Klosterhalfen, who will defend the European title, although we are rivals at national level”.

#chia2016 #EuroCross

www.chia2016.eu

Condividi con

Tweet

Seguici su: