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MOMBASA, Kenya - Daegu, South Korea, and Moscow were selected to host the 2011 and 2013 editions of the World Athletics Championships, the IAAF announced on the final day of the IAAF Council Meeting in Mombasa, Kenya.
The bids by South Korea's third largest city and the Russian capital beat back the bids presented by Brisbane, Australia, and Barcelona, Spain.
Kim Bum-Il, the Mayor of Daegu who served as the Marketing Director for the 1988 Summer Olympic Games in Seoul, said the biggest challenge facing his city will also be their primary goal, which is to create "a new athletics culture in the emerging countries."
"Organizationally we have the expertise, and we have the experience. But creating the culture and promoting athletics in the emerging countries is not an an easy job. But we will do so together with the support of our national government and our people."
The championships will return to Asia for the third time. Tokyo hosted the 1991 championships, while this summer's edition will be held in Osaka. After the 2009 championships were awarded to Berlin, a return to Asian was widely expected.
With the exception of the more low key World Indoor Championships which took place there last year, Moscow hasn't hosted a major international multi-day sporting event since the 1980 Summer Olympic Games.
"I'm just thrilled," said Yelena Isinbayeva, the Russian superstar who reportedly made an emotional plea as part of the Moscow bid presentation. The 24-year-old reigning Olympic, World and European champion in the pole vault may now have to ammend her retirement plans, which she initially suggested would come after the 2012 Olympic games in London.
"Now I may have to decided to compete a little longer," she said.
Photos: Yelena Isinbayeva speaking with Kenyan media after the Moscow announcement; members of the Daegu bid delegation celebrate the announcement. (Photos by Bob Ramsak).
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