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World body happy with Beijing bid proposals

By Yang Xinwei (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-10-14 07:58

BEIJING - Led by Sergei Bubka, first vice-president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), the evaluation commission of the organization completed its two-day assessment of Beijing's bid for the 2015 World Athletics Championships on Tuesday.

During the trip, the 11-member commission visited the National Stadium, better known as the Bird's Nest, which hosted the opening and closing ceremonies and the athletics competition during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and its warm-up stadium, and the hotels designated to accommodate athletes and officials.

The commission also held a special meeting with the Beijing bid committee and met Beijing Mayor Guo Jinglong, who highlighted Beijing's determination to host the world's premier athletics event.

Li Yingchuan, director of the Beijing Sports Bureau, said the commission was satisfied with the progress of Beijing's bid and that it thought Beijing was fully capable of successfully hosting the World Championships.

"I saw enthusiasm and professionalism about hosting the World Athletics Championships from the people we met in Beijing over the past two days," said Bubka, the former Olympic champion and world record-holder in the men's pole vault.

"I saw big interest from the public and we are satisfied with everything proposed."

When asked what else Beijing should do in order to win the bid, the Ukrainian said his team was only doing a technical assessment.

"It's up to the council meeting of the IAAF to make the decision. But I wish Beijing good luck," he said.

The IAAF, the sport's governing body, will host a council meeting next month to decide if Beijing will be the host. London, the 2012 Olympic Games host, is Beijing's strongest challenger. The other city bidding for the right to stage the event is Chorzow, Poland.

The next World Athletics Championships take place in Daegu, South Korea, in 2011 before they visit Moscow in 2013.

Since Huang Zhihong's victory in the women's shot put in 1991, China has won eight gold medals in the past 12 championships.

China Daily