Posted: July 7, 2005

Athletics: Marrakesh Class Of Future Champions Brings Legends And Young Athletes Together

MONACO - The IAAF/Maroc Telecom World Youth Championships, which begin in Marrakesh on 13 July, will be much more than just another athletics competition. It will offer a unique opportunity for Under 18-year-old athletes to gain valuable experience, to improve personal bests, to build friendships with their rivals from every corner of the world, and to learn about the ethical values that enhance our sport.

For this reason, the IAAF is delighted to announce, the “Marrakesh Class of Future Champions” which will take place on 10,11 and 12 July, with the help of the following star athletes: Nezha Bidouane (MAR), Heike Drechsler (GER), Wilson Kipketer (DEN) Ana Quirot (CUB) and Maksim Tarasov (RUS).

“The aim of the Marrakesh Class of Future Champions is to provide an interactive forum in which our young stars of the future are able to gain an entertaining, and educational view of our sport directly from some great Champions of our sport,” says Lamine Diack. “I am delighted that these great names have agreed to our request to become Athlete Patrons for this project and to pass on some of their great wisdom to the next generation of athletes.”

In each session, the Athlete Patrons will discuss themes such as:

LI>Training programmes
• Stretching
• Importance of nutrition and hydration
• Psychosocial approach to competitions
• Coming back from injury
• Training tips
• Competition tips
• Concentration
• Fighting against doping
• Enjoyment of the sport
• Fair play
• Respect for others

The Athlete Patrons will run 5 sessions each, of about 1h30 duration, and there will approximately 100 and 150 athletes in each language group. The young athletes will also have a 1.30 hour session with the “Young Athletes Against Doping in Sport” (YAADIS) programme which aims to encourage youngsters to actively reject doping.

Biographies of Athlete Patrons

NEZHA BIDOUANE of Morocco, 400m Hurdles
Two-time World champion (1997 and 2001)
Olympic bronze medallist (2000)
Two-time African champion (1990 and 1998)

HEIKE DRECHSLER of Germany, Sprinter/Long Jump
Two-time World champion (1983 and 1993)
Two-time Olympic champion (1992 and 2000)
Five-time European champion (1986 LJ + 200m, 1990, 1994 and 1998)
Olympic and World medallist at 100m and 200m
Multiple World record breaker at LJ and 200m

WILSON KIPKETER of Denmark, 800m
Three-time World champion (1995, 1997, 1999)
World Indoor champion (1997)
European champion (2002)
World Indoor and World Outdoor record holder

ANA FIDELIA QUIROT of Cuba, 800m
Two-time World champion (1995 and 1997)
Four-time Pan-American champion

MAKSIM TARASOV of Russia, Pole Vault
World champion (1999)
Olympic champion (1992)

For more information go to IAAF.org.