Countdown
There are just 100 days to go until the IAAF World U20 Championships Tampere 2018 gets underway and the Finnish city is feverishly preparing to welcome the world’s best young athletes on 10-15 July.
To mark the important milestone, the President of The Republic of Finland, Sauli Niinistö, has been named as an ambassador of the championships.
With the championships fast approaching, delegations from numerous countries will visit Tampere throughout April and May to assess the city and its facilities.
Ticket sales have opened and various types of visual elements for the championships have started to appear around Tampere. Volunteer recruitment is also due to start imminently.
Tampere Stadium, the championships venue, is the perfect setting as it is compact in size and is located right in the centre of the city, close to restaurants and cafes. All of the team hotels are with walking distance or a short bus ride away.
Competition Director Pasi Oksanen leads an experienced local organising committee, many of whom are members of Tampereen Pyrintö, a multi-sport club based in the city, and formed part of the LOC for the 2013 European Under-23 Championships.
The European Champion Clubs Cup Group B meeting on 26 May will double as the test competition for the World U20 Championships. IAAF delegates will be in attendance and will provide valuable feedback.
Including athletes, support personnel and other team members, Tampere expects to welcome 2500 visitors from 160 countries for the IAAF World U20 Championships. The host nation’s team is expected to comprise about 30-40 athletes, all of whom will enjoy the rare experience of competing at a major championships in front of a home crowd.
LOC
