Kenyan Rudisha among bevy of World stars to turn out for press lunch in Daegu

Submitted by IAAF on 31 August 2011 - 4:47pm
AIPS press lunch, Daegu - President Diack is interviewed; alonside Seb Coe, Sergey Bubka and Gianni Merlo (IAAF)

Following the completion of the women's 20km Race Walk, the only competition on Day 5 of the IAAF World Championships, Daegu 2011, the tradition of the championship's press lunch was continued in Casa Italia which for the nine day duration of Daegu 2011 is situated in the May Garden in Daegu City Centre.

Located just a few hundred metres away from the finish line of the 20km Race Walk, there was of course a huge turn-out of media for the lunch which was hosted by the AIPS (International Sports Press Association) and the organisers of the Helsinki European Champs 2012, with the support of the Italian team and their sponsors.

The guests were welcomed by AIPS President Gianni Merlo and Italian Federation President Franco Arese, with the list of VIPS attending headed by IAAF President Lamine Diack who was accompanied to the function by many of his Council colleagues including Daegu LOC Honorary President Rocky Park.

Helsinki 2012 LOC President Antti Pihlakoski and European Area Association President Hansjorg Wirz were also on hand to explain the philosophy of the biennial European championships whose new cycle begins with the 2012 championships in the Finnish capital.

Distinguishing the lunch with their presence were a host of top athletics names including last night's newly crowned World 800m champion David Rudisha and silver medallist Yuriy Borzakovskiy who were interviewed alongside former World record holder Lord Sebastian Coe.

Appropriately women's Pole Vault bronze medallist Svetlana Feofanova was presented to the audience with current men's World record holder Sergey Bubka.

Two other new World champions were at the lunch, Tatyana Chernova (Heptathlon) and Yuliya Zaripova (3000m Steeplechase), while rising-star Christophe Lemaitre, fourth in the 100m, found himself on stage with sprint legend Don Quarrie, the 1976 Olympic 200m champion.

Following the formalities, the guests enjoyed the sumptuous hospitality of Casa Italia, the perfect culinary conclusion to such a world class gathering.