How the sight of a medallist receiving his honour in an empty stadium satisfied World Athletics Championships boss to take the trophies AWAY from winners together with Aussie Eleanor Patterson
- Athletes at World Athletics Championships obtain momentary medals in the US
- Oregon 2022 executive director Niels de Vos got here up with the new age idea
- Athletes later issued with medals to take house, conventional ceremonies comply with
- De Vos noticed an athlete at 2016 Games in Rio introduced medal in empty stadium
- He pledged to himself it was a horrible state of affairs to not be repeated on his watch
Watching an athlete obtain a medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in an empty stadium was unacceptable in the eyes of World Athletics Championships boss Niels de Vos.
Fast ahead to the present world observe and area titles in the US from Oregon and there will not be a repeat state of affairs.
De Vos has made certain off that.
The govt director of Oregon22 has as an alternative opted for ‘immediate medals’ – and the suggestions from world observe and area stars has been resounding.
Athletes – together with gold medal successful Aussie excessive bounce star Eleanor Patterson – have been shortly issued placeholder medallions to get pleasure from on their victory lap.
Australia’s Eleanor Patterson received gold in the excessive bounce – and was one in every of many athletes issued an immediate ‘momentary medal’ at the World Athletics Championships in the US
Oregon 2022 govt director Niels de Vos got here up with the new age idea after witnessing an athlete at the 2016 Olympics awarded a medal in an empty stadium
Then they’re given take-home ones – engraved with their names – that are introduced at a later ceremony.
‘To have that medal so quick, it is so good,’ stated British runner Laura Muir, who snared bronze in the 1500m ultimate.
‘It’s surreal as a result of one minute you are not even throughout the line and the subsequent minute you’ve the medal round your neck.’
De Vos defined his reasoning behind the resolution.
‘From an athlete’s perspective, it is like, ‘But my family and friends are right here at present. They have not acquired a ticket tomorrow. I do not wish to come again tomorrow for my medal and never have my household,’ the ABC reported.
Eleanor Patterson is simply the tenth Australian to realize an athletics world title, becoming a member of the likes of Cathy Freeman, Dani Samuels and Sally Pearson
‘Everybody likes this (new final result).’
It takes simply 68 seconds for medals to be engraved.
There’s an engraving machine — 4 are used on heavy medal days — situated in a room beneath the seats at Hayward Field in Oregon.
The one ‘drama’ at the world titles has been some athletes changing into shortly hooked up to their momentary medals – however it beats their medal second being witnessed by nobody.
The 2022 World Athletics Championships conclude on July 24.
Advertisement