After succesful presentation the IAAF Council decided to award the right to stage the 3rd IAAF Continental Cup in 2018 to Ostrava. The dates are not yet fixed, but it is expected to be held in early September.
"I can guarantee the full support of the Czech Government and Czech Republic,“ said Minister for Education, Youth and Sports Marcel Chladek. Deputy Mayor of Ostrava Lumir Palyza assured the IAAF Council Members about the City Stadium reconstruction which is currently going on.
"We are spending more than 20 millions of dollars on that currently, our stadium will be a modern top athletics facility with capacity of 15 000 spectators,“ he said. President of Czech Athletics Federation Libor Varhanik mentioned the willingness to prepare a special edition of the event with a good team which has a lot of experience while preparing the traditional Golden Spike Meeting.
"We have in mind full set of new ideas how to organise this event to touch the young generation,“ said Varhanik. It is about video boards, high technology, spectators involvement, fan zones and trophies for best team and athletes. Special member of the delegation was legendary hurdler Felix Sanchez of Dominican Republic.
"Ostrava has great environment for the athletes with hotel so close to warm up track and the main stadium. We as athletes like that not to think about shuttle transport when you need to go to the stadium,“ says Sanchez. Representing the Ostrava youngsters was junior long jumper Veronika Sadkova who was Donetsk World Youth Finalist in 2013.
"We are crazy with sports and athletics in Ostrava,“ she said and mentioned that schools will be interacted to continental teams with fan base, boards, draws etc. The final video showing the real nature of the city and the people living there highlighted the presentation.
"This is Ostrava. That is what we are,“ said legendary Roman Sebrle in the clip. "We also want to thank our friends from Bydgoszcz for fair competition and wish them all the best into the future as they for sure will remain the main athletics city in Poland,“ said bid secretary and Golden Spike Meet Manager Alfons Juck.
