It’s time for the Championships vision to become reality, says co-founder
The European Championships Munich 2022 will realise the vision of nine European sports successfully coming together for a world class multi-sport event, according to co-founder Paul Bristow.
“If the first edition of the European Championships proved the concept, then Munich 2022 will see the vision become a reality,” the European Championships Management (ECM) managing director.
He believes the next 11 days of competition will rubber stamp the concept he first devised alongside co-founder Marc Joerg and first staged four years ago in Glasgow and Berlin.
The nine sports involved are set to feature a line-up of competitors packed with champions for both in-venue and broadcast audiences.
European Athletics have confirmed their competition will feature “all the best athletes, without exception, barring injury” according to chief executive Christian Milz.
Crowds at the Olympiastadion will be able to enjoy watching 10 World Champions, 12 Olympic Champions from Tokyo and 31 defending European Champions from 2018.
The commitment of so many of the continent’s top sports stars to attend is a boost for the concept of combining nine individual continental championships into a single event, according to Bristow.
He said: “The vision is to create a must-watch, must-attend event that really elevates the champions of Europe.
“What is really resonating with me is how many Olympic champions, world champions and European champions there are competing here. The fact that everybody has got their biggest names here proves that we have created a stage where the best athletes want to come and compete.
“I am looking forward to all nine sports. The fantastic thing about live sport at a level like this is that it is unscripted. You just don’t know when that ‘Moment of the Championships’ is going to happen in which sport. I really can’t tell you where they are going to come from.”
And the benefits of aggregation are not being lost on the leaders of the individual sports appearing in Munich.
Thorsten Endres, managing director of Volleyball Europe (CEV), said: “We really believe in the strength of teamwork. Beach volleyball is a team sport and we believe that together you are stronger. That is why we are really happy to be a part of this concept.”
Wolfgang Wabel, vice president of the International Federation of Sport Climbing’s executive board, is relishing the prospect of his sport taking centre stage. He said: “We really like the concept of the multi-sport European Championships. It’s a lot bigger than our usual championships so for us, and the athletes, they’re all really pleased to be here and it will increase the profile and outcome.”
Annamarie Phelps, chair of European Rowing, added: “It makes a big difference to the sort of audiences we get. We get people crossing over from different audiences to watch rowing, and it really does give our athletes a unique stage to shine on.”