Bislett ready for the Diamond battle

– BislettAlliansen is proud to be a part of the IAAF Diamond League, and to host the first IAAF Diamond League meeting in Europe, the new Meet Director Steinar Hoen told the Norwegian media during the first press conference in front of the ExxonMobil Bislett Games on Wednesday.

Unfortunately the Icelandic ash prevented the Finnish javelin thrower, and IAAF Diamond League ambassador, Tero Pitkämäki to be present, but one of the main attractions at the meeting; his main rival and fellow Diamond ambassador Andreas Thorkildsen met the representatives from all parts of Norwegian media.
– The IAAF Diamond League is something all athletes are looking forward to. In javelin throw, as well as in many other events, the competition will go through the whole season, and compared with the former IAAF Golden League it will be excitement all the way to the final, he said.
– For European athletes there will also be big new venues to compete at, such as New York. This new series make the athletics much more global than earlier, said the reign champion of Europe, the World and the Olympics.
– For me this meeting is the most important meeting of the summer together with the European Championships in Barcelona, Thorkildsen said.
– I think the IAAF Diamond League will be a huge success, Hoen told the media.
– Of Norwegian interest we will have Thorkildsen v Pitkämäki, Christina Vukicevic against Lolo Jones and Susanna Kallur (running her first major competition after absence through injury at Bislett) and Karoline Bjerkeli Grøvdal at the 3000 meters steeplechase.
– We will also have Kenenisa Bekele versus Bernard Lagat at 5000 meters, probably the only time they will meet at this distance during the summer, Blanka Vlasic in high jump, Sanya Richards at both 200 and 400 meters, Steven Hooker in pole vault and Asafa Powell at the 100 meters.
The Bislett Stadium has also been improved in front of the meeting. A new roof is build over most of the main terraces, and the indoor facilities under the stadium will be ready for the meeting.
– We are proud to welcome the best athletes in the World to Bislett, the Managing Director of BislettAlliansen told the media.
– Together with Zurich and Brussels we are the only venue who has been a part of Grand Prix, Golden 4, IAAF Golden League and now IAAF Diamond League.
– We are also very satisfied that ExxonMobil will be the main sponsor of the event for the next three years, he said.