Welsh athletics legend Lynn Davies tonight with eight cities and ten events, bang, “We need something like this. Sometimes there is
hopes the Super Eights will return to bang, bang, worked even though there is some a lot of pressure on us, especially for youngsters,
Cardiff to encourage youngsters to fi ne tuning to be done. so to have a meeting like this where you can have
get involved in the sport. a bit more fun will help to break up the season a
“The aim is to build on tonight and next year little bit.
A pilot event was held at the new Leckwith maybe have two indoor and two outdoor
Stadium – a fast-moving meeting aimed at events. I think it is the formula that athletics has “It was not a perfect start for me, but it was
popularising athletics in the way of Twenty20 needed for a long time. great to run in Wales and pull on a Welsh vest.
cricket has revolutionised spectator appeal for Tonight was a great night.
cricket. “Many years ago we used to have the Welsh
Games which was the real shop window for the “I am still inspired because I still have not
It was not without teething problems, but with a sport in Wales. achieved what I want to in the sport, whether
junior competition beforehand helping the crowd because of illness and injuries over the years, but
and the atmosphere there were certainly plenty “This event has shown that if you put on a good I still have that belief that I can go on and achieve
of positives for the organisers to take away as enough event then there will be a good crowd my goals. I am still young at 30 and 2012 is very
they analyse plans for the future. and good atmosphere. much the target for me as long as the body is
willing.”
Eight city based teams took part, with Cardiff “It was great for the not-so elite athletes to be
representing Wales – the broader banner shown in an event like this, see themselves on the big One of the other big differences was in the fi eld
by Newport’s Christian Malcolm acting as screen, rub shoulders with our world class elite events, shortened to make them more spectator
Cardiff’s captain for the evening. ahtletes and be introduced to the audience – so friendly.
it was very motivational which could be a big
With several Welsh athletes injured, coming back factor in encouraging those athletes. “I think it is a really good idea, a great new
from injury or illness, or just lacking early season concept to condense something which would
form, the home side did not fare that well – which “Now we know the product, the next question normally take all day into just a couple of hours,”
was a shame because the crowd were very ready is whether it is attractive to Cardiff as a city, the said Welsh high jumper Julie Crane.
to get behind any home successes. sponsors and so on – it is up for grabs. The aim
would be to have eight of these every year at “The high jump can take hours so limiting it so
UK Athletics president Davies was encouraged, each of the centres.” seven attempts makes you think and stops it
though. “I think it went well. It was obviously a dragging on.”
pilot and the aim is to establish a new form for A late sponsorship row meant some of the big
athletics along the lines of Twenty20 cricket,” he names did not appear, which was undoubtedly 400m sprinter Matt Elias was delighted to be
commented. damaging but of less impact on the Cardiff taking part after three years of constant injuries.
crowd than the disappointing showing of the “I really enjoyed that today – it made three years
“I was very proud we staged something which home team. of sitting on my butt with my leg up in the air
is a bit if a milestone in athletics history. It was seem worthwhile when the crowd got behind
innovative, tough, but athletics has got to change Those athletes who were there enjoyed me,” said Elias, who even dusted off the red hair
so I would love to see it back in Cardiff. themselves. “It was a bit different, but fun,” said dye for the occasion.
Malcolm, at the end of running the 200m leg in
“Two hours is long enough for people to sit a 200, 200, 400 and 600 metres relay – just one It seems a concept that will carry on, whether in
through any sporting event so the whole idea of of the differences. Cardiff or elsewhere.
sportingwales
issue7twothousand&nine
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