[ED] For success in Daegu - The Korea Times

Let’s enjoy the 9-day world athletics event

The 2011 World Championships in Athletics will kick off its nine-day run in Daegu, 300 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Saturday. This event is the signature competition of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

It is meaningful for the Korean city to host the championships as it will create a lasting athletic legacy not only in Korea but also in Asia and across the world. Daegu has become the second Asian host city after Osaka, Japan. The event is one of the world’s three major sports events, including the Summer Olympics and the FIFA World Cup.

South Korea has emerged as the world’s seventh country to stage the three events. Seoul gained fame by hosting the 1988 Summer Olympics. The country also co-hosted the 2002 FIFA World Cup with Japan. Now comes the IAAF World Championships in Daegu.

The competition carries even greater significance as Incheon will hold the 2014 Asian Games and PyeongChang is to host the 2018 Winter Olympics. So the nation needs to make the Daegu championships a success so that it can have the momentum to ensure thorough preparations for the following two events.

It is good to see the country become a sports powerhouse. Through sports, Korea can promote friendship and exchanges with other countries. By heightening sportsmanship, the nation can contribute to harmony and peace in the world. It can also bring hope and a better future to people around the globe by propagating the can-do spirit.

The motto of Daegu is “Sprint Together for Tomorrow.” All the participants and spectators should strive to achieve the Organizing Committee’s ideals of “Dream, Passion, Challenge.” According to the committee, 1,945 athletes from 202 countries will compete in the event. The number is an all-time high, breaking the previous record of 1,895 set in Berlin three years ago.

It is wonderful to see athletes perform to the best of their abilities. Many top-class athletes, including Usain Bolt, Asafa Powell and Yelena Isinbayeva are tipped to shine in Daegu. They will surely help Koreans understand the importance of track and field, which are not very popular here although they provide the basis of most sports.

We hope that the event will serve as leverage to promote track and field among Koreans and enhance public awareness of athletics. People’s ardent cheering and active participation holds the key to success in Daegu.

More than 90 percent of tickets have already been sold. But most ticket buyers are companies and schools. It is important to encourage sports fans to go to the stadium and cheer the competitors. Let’s enjoy the sports festival.