Glasgow’s bid for the 2014 Commonwealth Games received a boost Tuesday when the IAAF confirmed that the 2008 IAAF World Cross Country Championships will be held in Edinburgh.
The event, to be held at Holyrood Park, will reportedly reaffirm Scotland’s capabilities for hosting world-class athletics ahead of the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Geoff Wightman, Chief Executive of Scottish Athletics, outlined how the Edinburgh event would be a weekend full of endurance opportunities – including the resurrection of a great cross country tradition for the home countries. He said, “we are in the business of creating environments where our athletes and coaches can flourish. A world championship on home soil is an opportunity to taste the big time and inspire the 2012 and 2014 generation.
Councillor Donald Anderson, Executive member for Sport, Culture and Tourism said, “Edinburgh is a world class city and has a reputation for delivering world class events. In the countdown to London 2012 and hopefully Glasgow 2014 we will stage races to remember”.
