World Athletics Cross Country Championships Belgrade 24
With little more than three weeks to go until the World Athletics Cross Country Championships Belgrade 24, organisers have unveiled the medals for the global event on 30 March.
More than 500 athletes from roughly 60 teams will converge on Friendship Park in the Serbian capital at the end of this month to race for a place on the podium in individual, relay and team contests.
For the athletes who make it on to the podium, they will be rewarded with one of the championship medals that were commissioned by the Serbian Athletics Federation.
The medals feature the event logo, which has been inspired by the confluence of the rivers Sava and Danube in the Serbian capital and incorporates designs of carpets that were created in Serbia, representing the fabric of the past, present and future.
The medals were presented to the public for the first time on Friday (8 March) in Belgrade’s Friendship Park, where the championships will be held. To mark the occasion, local children from the Partizan Athletics Club and the Zemun Athletics Club raced in front of the ‘Eternal Fire’ monument and were given participation medals.
“These medals are not just a piece of metal but a symbol of effort, passion and dedication of every competitor who competes at these championships,” said Slobodan Brankovic, President of the local organising committee. “Each of them carries with it a story of training and determination that went into achieving such a medal.
“The Serbian Athletics Federation has organised many competitions in the past, including at the world and European level, and we always try to be unique and perfect in all elements of the organisation – including the design of medals.
“On Monday we will start with our championship preparations in Friendship Park, and in seven days you won't recognise this area,” he added.
Serbian distance runner Elzan Bibic explained what a medal means to an athlete.
“Being an athlete means much more than just running and competing,” said the European indoor 3000m bronze medallist. “It is a path filled with challenges, work and, of course, the support we receive from organisations like our athletics federation, city and state.
“Medals represent the hours of work, sacrifice and dedication invested in every moment of training. Each medal carries a story of ups, downs and the tremendous effort we put in to get to that moment. They’re not just awards, but symbols of perseverance and courage. For athletes, they represent not only success on the sports field, but also the pride and joy we bring to our country.”
