| Birmingham 2007 facts | • The 29th European Athletics Indoor Championships will be staged at Birmingham's NIA from 2-4 March 2007 • 600 athletes from an estimated 50 countries are expected to compete • There will be a capacity audience of over 20,000 people over 3 days of competition • Coverage of the event will be broadcast across the continent to an estimated audience of 168 million • The event will mark the 30th anniversary of Lord Coe’s breakthrough as a world class athlete – he won his first gold medal at the event in 1977 • This will be the only major international athletics championships to be staged in Great Britain before the 2012 Olympics • This is the latest in a long line of prestigious sports events to be staged in Birmingham, including more than 30 World or European Championships in the last 15 years • Birmingham is an international city of sport and has staged more major sports events than any other UK city • Birmingham staged the World Indoor Athletics Championships in March 2003 which was described by IAAF President, Lamine Diack, as 'the best ever' • The ticket hotline is 0870 739 2007 and the official website is
www.birmingham
athletics2007.com |
Lord Coe was in Birmingham on Monday 6th February to launch ticket sales for the 29th European Athletics Indoor Championships, which will be staged at the National Indoor Arena from the 2-4 March 2007. 2007 Athletics Championships The 2007 Championships will have a special significance for the man credited with bringing the Olympic Games back to his country for the first time since 1948, as the event will mark the 30th anniversary of Sebastian Coe’s breakthrough as a world-class athlete, winning his first gold medal at the 1977 European Athletics Indoor Championships in San Sebastian. The event is also an important land-mark in the build up to the London 2012 Olympics as it is the most significant international athletics championships to be staged in Great Britain before 2012, a fact that was reinforced by Lord Coe at today’s launch when he said: "We know for a lot of athletes their road to 2012 will start in Birmingham with the 2007 indoors". Birmingham's success in 2003 Lord Coe also commented on Birmingham's successful staging of the World Indoor Athletics Championships in 2003 when he said: "When Birmingham hosted the World Indoor Athletics Championships they really raised the bar".
 | | Indoor athletics launch at the NIA |
The Minister for Sport, Richard Caborn was another special guest at the launch for the 2007 Championships and he also reflected on Birmingham’s past success and believes that the city played a key role in helping London to secure the 2012 Olympics. He said: "Everyone connected to the London 2012 campaign recognised the contribution that Birmingham’s hosting of the World Indoor Championships made to our success. They helped to bring back confidence to the international sporting community that we can host major sports events". The European Athletics Indoor Championships is expected to attract 15,000 spectators over three days and will have an estimated economic impact of £3.5 million for the city of Birmingham, with images of the Championships being broadcast across the world. Councillor Mike Whitby, Leader of Birmingham City Council said: “I am delighted that Birmingham will host the only major athletics event in the UK before 2012. We know the eyes of the world will be on us. Birmingham is ready for the challenge and we know that we have a team that can deliver.” Star of the future
 | | Jason Gardener |
The star studded launch was also attended by triple European Indoor champion Jason Gardener, former Olympic heptathlon champion Denise Lewis, four time European indoor medallist John Mayock and an athletics star of the future, local sprint sensation Julian Thomas. Tickets Tickets for the three day event, which will be held from Friday 2nd until Sunday 4th March 2007, will start at £12 for adults and £6 for concessions. Three-day passes, which start at £18, go on sale from 6th February and individual day tickets will be available from June. For tickets for the 29th European Athletics Indoor Championships call 0870 739 2007 or log onto the official event website www.birminghamathletics2007.com. | 
