European Athletics praises European Youth Olympic Trials ahead of Baku 2015 European Games
Baku, June 4 (AZERTAC). European Athletics has praised the organisation of the European Youth Olympic Trials (EYOT) as it looks forward to the athletics competition at Baku 2015 European Games.
Mr Jose Luis de Carlos, Senior Vice President of European Athletics highlighted the “exceptionally high level of organisation” of the three day competition which took place at the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium in Baku from Friday 30 May to Sunday 1 June.
The event, which saw 678 of Europe’s finest young athletes compete in 36 events, was the first ever international athletics meeting staged in Azerbaijan and also the first test event for the Baku 2015 European Games which begin next year on 12 June.
Mr de Carlos said: “European Athletics is very happy and impressed by the exceptionally high level of organisation displayed by our Azerbaijani friends.
“The Azerbaijan Athletics Federation (AAF) were given a very short period of time to organise this event but they have done an excellent job and we are now looking forward to working with them on a successful European Athletics Team Championships 3rd League as part of the European Games.”
EYOT offered Baku 2015 European Games Operation Committee (BEGOC) the chance to test a number of games time functions including transport operations, security, and village and food services, a valuable opportunity which was highlighted by Mr Simon Clegg, Chief Operating Officer of Baku 2015.
Mr Clegg said: “I am delighted by the praise received from Mr de Carlos and would like to thank European Athletics for providing the AAF and BEGOC with the opportunity to host this competition.
“Working alongside the AAF we jointly delivered an exceptional event for all the athletes and coaches to enjoy. The success of our first test event as we near the One Year To Go date is an important milestone in delivering a European Games of which the whole continent will be proud.
“In particular I wish to recognise the wonderful contribution of all 166 Azerbaijani National Technical Officials who delivered such an excellent event after only four months of intense training.”
The success of the event was reflected on the field as Azerbaijani athlete Nazim Babayev sealed gold in the Boys Triple Jump competition on Sunday with a championship record leap of 16.14m.
This followed a silver medal won by Behafeta Hadiyes in the Girls 3000m Final the previous day and ensured Azerbaijan finished the competition with success on the track and field.
Mr Chingiz Huseynzade, President of the AAF, said: “Hosting the European Youth Olympic Trials here in Azerbaijan was an honour and I am proud of the effort displayed by everyone at the Local Organising Committee to ensure they were such a resounding success.
“We thoroughly enjoyed welcoming all of the athletes and team officials to Azerbaijan and I wish them all well in their future pursuit of Youth Olympics glory.”
A total of 931 athletes and team officials stayed in the newly-built Athletes Village throughout the competition, enabling it to be tested in an operational capacity for the first time.
Baku 2015 will be the first ever European Games, an exciting and innovative new multi-sport event for the continent that will take place from June 12 until June 28 2015.
There will be a total of 19 sports at Baku 2015: 16 Olympic sports and three non-Olympic sports. More than 6,000 athletes are expected to represent their nations over the 17 days of competition.
Nine of the sports will offer qualification opportunities for the Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics in 2016. Those sports include archery, athletics, beach volleyball, cycling, shooting, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo and triathlon.
Baku was awarded the Games by the European Olympic Committees (EOC) in December 2012. The Baku European Games Operations Committee (BEGOC) will organise and run the Games in co-operation with the EOC.
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