Robert Harting (threw 64.05m Discus in Halle last weekend), Gerhard Janetzky and Lars Riedel (© ISTAF)
Berlin, GermanyThis year’s ISTAF which takes place on Sunday 12th September has two main features. Firstly, after a one year break it is once more the concluding event of the six TDK Golden League Meetings. Secondly, Germany’s most traditional international athletics event will be held in Berlin’s rebuilt Olympic Stadium for the first time. The arena will be officially opened by the German chancellor Gerhard Schröder on 31st July.
Highest calibre of meeting
After two years residence at the former East Berlin’s Jahn-Sportpark, ISTAF’s organisers are determined to sound their return to the Olympic Stadium in September with the highest possible calibre of meeting.
This is especially so since Berlin is one of the bidding cities for the IAAF World Championships in 2009. A decision for the venue will be taken by the IAAF council at the beginning of December this year.
“The stadium will be very attractive. And it would make a great venue for the World Championships. So we will do our best to impress with a great ISTAF Meeting”, Gerhard Janetzky said during a press conference held yesterday in Berlin (24 May).
Special ticket promotion with 50,000 spectators as the goal
The Managing Director of the ISTAF hopes to attract up to 50,000 spectators this year. “We know this will not be easy, but we want to set high goals”, Janetzky said and added: “Our slogan will be: From the Olympics to the new Olympic Stadium.” Organisers have started a special ticket promotion. If bought before mid-June ticket prices will be reduced by up to 60 percent.
Attracting large numbers of spectators will of course only be possible if some of the best athletes of the Olympics will compete in Berlin.
“This is our aim and additionally we hope that some German athletes do well in Athens.”
2.2 million Euros budget
To achieve this the overall budget of the ISTAF has been increased to 2.2 million Euros. While both Florian Schwarthoff and Askan Brehm have given up as managers for the elite field for personal reasons Thomas Kremer has taken over. Kremer is the elite athletes manager of the Dortmund indoor meeting.
Riedel – on-form and fired-up for ISTAF
While no international elite contenders have been announced yet one of the greatest German athletes ever looks forward to competing at the ISTAF: Lars Riedel. The 36 year-old discus thrower from Chemnitz has shown some very promising form recently.
In Halle last weekend he threw 68.05 metres beating World and Olympic champion Virgilius Alekna (Lithuania) by 23 centimetres.
“We had fine conditions and all went as I had hoped it would. I really feel that this is a very special year, because to have the Olympics in Athens is absolutely extraordinary. And I am looking very forward to this”, Lars Riedel said and added: “Virgilius and I know that we are able to further improve from what we achieved in Halle. The season has really just started, it is a long way to Athens. It would be great for me to win a medal at the Olympics. But a lot can happen in between.”
While it was generally assumed that this would be Lars Riedel’s last season he said the following at the press conference in Berlin: “My contract with my club in Chemnitz runs through the end of next year. And I will only decide at the end of this season whether I will retire or not. If I feel fine I could imagine competing for one more year.”
Wonderful ISTAF memories
Concerning ISTAF Lars Riedel has some nice memories. It was in the Olympic Stadium where he set the meeting record of 70.60 metres back in 1996, after winning Olympic gold in Atlanta.
“It has always been a great atmosphere at the ISTAF. The spectators cheered me on superbly. I hope for a similar atmosphere this year and look forward to returning to the stadium”, the five time world champion said. Concerning the ISTAF he has won the Discus throw seven times since 1992 – a unique achievement for one single event at this meeting.
State of the art stadium
Within the next few weeks the building work at the Olympic Stadium will be finished and the arena will have a blue coloured track.
Its 76,000 seats are fully covered and one of the features athletes can look forward to a warm-up facility with a 100 metre sprint track. Though ISTAF is an afternoon event again this year for TV reasons in darkness the light construction of the roof will make it look like a shining ring that floats above the arena.
Jörg Wenig for the IAAF
