21 October 2008

UK Athletics hopes to continue with the successful two-day format for its flagship Aviva London Grand Prix next year. The traditional Crystal Palace meeting was held over two days in July for the first time in 23 years.

The sport’s global governing body, the IAAF, will make a final decision on whether to sanction a two day Aviva London Grand Prix for 2009 next month and UKA chief executive Niels de Vos believes it would be a great boost for the country’s biggest athletics meeting.

De Vos said: “The decision to run this year’s Aviva London Grand Prix on the Friday and Saturday was a great success. It allowed an extra 13,000 spectators through the door, meant we attracted even more of the world’s best athletes, and was warmly received by our British athletes, host broadcaster and sponsors.

“The Aviva London Grand Prix is such an important showcase for the sport, and is going to rise in stature yet further as we build towards the London Olympics in 2012. So it is incumbent on us as a governing body to ensure we are constantly looking for ways to improve the meeting for spectators and athletes.”

Highlights of the 2008 meeting included a stunning 200m performance by double Olympic champion Usain Bolt and wins for British Olympic medallists Christine Ohuruogu and Phillips Idowu.

 The 2009 meeting is scheduled to take place over the final weekend in July.

Meanwhile UK Athletics has confirmed details for the rest of its 2009 season of major events.

The Kelvin Hall in Glasgow will once again be the curtain-raiser to the season with the Aviva International on January 31.

Sheffield will host the Aviva European Trials on February 14 and 15, while the indoor season’s main event will be the Aviva Grand Prix in Birmingham on February 21.

The first event of the outdoor season will be the Aviva World Trials in Birmingham from July 10 to 12, followed by the London Grand Prix later the same month.

A week after the world championships in Berlin, Gateshead will bring the major events season to a close with the Aviva British Grand Prix on bank holiday Monday, August 31.

UK Athletics 2009 Major Events Season