Jesse Owens and coach Larry Snyder (© Associated Press)
The World Athletics Heritage Plaque has been awarded posthumously to six world renowned coaches and to seven of the sport’s oldest magazines in recognition of their historic contribution to the promotion of Athletics, IAAF President Sebastian Coe announced at this evening’s IAAF/LOC press conference at Khalifa Stadium ahead of the IAAF World Athletics Championships Doha 2019.
The coaches honoured include Dr. Woldemeskel Kostre (Haile Gebrselassie), Yoshio Koide (Naoko Takahashi), Arthur Lydiard (Peter Snell), Franz Stampfl (Roger Bannister), Lawrence ‘Larry’ Snyder (Jesse Owens) and Dietrich Gerner (Adhemar Ferreira Da Silva) who mentored and moulded countless athletics talents into champions and world record breakers during their illustrious careers.
Middle distance legends Roger Bannister, Chris Brasher, Peter Snell, Ralph Doubell, Mal Whitfield and Christopher Chataway, distance greats Haile Gebrselassie, Kenenisa Bekele, Hiromi Suzuki, Naoko Takahashi and Murray Halberg, jumper Adhemar Ferreira Da Silva, hurdler Glenn Davis and athlete of the century Jesse Owens, are among the long list of world beating talent nurtured by the six coaches honoured today.
The Area Associations and Member Federations will now work together to find appropriate public locations at which to permanently display the six plaques.
The seven publications honoured in the category culture are, in chronological order of their foundation:
Athletisme (FRA), founded 1921
Leichtathletik (GER), founded 1925
Atletica (ITA), founded 1933
Athletics Weekly (GBR), founded 1945
Track and Field News (USA), founded 1948
Rikujyokyogi (JPN), founded 1951
Runner’s World (USA) founded 1966
The World Athletics Heritage Plaque is a location-based recognition which highlights, celebrates and links together iconic and historic athletics careers, cities, competitions, culture, landmarks, performances and venues around the world.
The Plaque is awarded for an outstanding contribution to the worldwide history and development of the sport of track & field and of out of stadia athletics.
World Athletics Heritage Plaques will start to be unveiled at their locations around the world during 2020.
Plaque criteria | List of Plaques | Location of Plaques
IAAF
