Istvan Gyulai and Dr. Gyorgy Ipkovich, Mayor of Szombathely (© IAAF)
At a ceremony today at the IAAF’s elite Hammer training centre, an IAAF Diploma was presented in recognition of the centre’s status as one of the IAAF’s eight European Accredited Training Centres (ATC).
The IAAF delegation was headed by General Secretary Istvan Gyulai, with Dr. Gyorgy Ipkovich, the Mayor of Szombathely, and Szombathely's head coach Tibor Gécsek, the 1998 European Hammer champion, the local dignitaries in attendance.
The Hungarian training centre which opened in May 2001, will host the IAAF World Athletics Final Hammer Throw competition on Sunday 7 September 2003.
The IAAF has established the ATCs as part of a worldwide development strategy, in order to provide quality coaching facilities and knowledge to national Federations, athletes and coaches alike, to assist them to perform competitively at all levels.
The Szombathely centre specialises in the Hammer and Discus throwing events, while the other European centres offer a range of other events -
Boulouris, France - Sprint & hurdles & horizontal jumps - opened May 2001
Szombathely, Hungary- Hammer & Discus - opened May 2001
Formia, Italy - Pole Vault & horizontal jumps - opened May 2001
Vila Real de S. Antonio, Portugal - middle/long distance - opened May 2001
Moscow, Russia - Race Walking - opened November 2001
Ljubljana, Slovenia - Long Jump - opened May 2001
Boson, Sweden - High Jump & Combined Events - opened May 2001
Donetsk, Ukraine- Pole Vault & horizontal jumps - opened May 2001
IAAF
