The European Athletics Executive Board has announced that Poděbrady in the Czech Republic will stage the next three editions of the European Race Walking Team Championships in 2021, 2023 and 2025.
The Czech spa town which is situated on the River Elbe is synonymous with race walking in athletics circles. Podebrady has already staged the IAAF World Race Walking Cup in 1997, the European Race Walking Cup in 2017 as well as the annual European Athletics Race Walking Permit Meeting which dates back to 1929. Delving even further back into history, a 50km race walking event was held between Prague and Poděbrady as far back as 1894 - two years before the first Summer Olympics in Athens and 38 years before the 50km race walk made its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 1932.
"We know Podebrady has a long history in staging well-organized and high quality international race walking events so we are therefore very happy to announce the next three editions of the European Race Walking Team Championships will take place in Podebrady," said European Athletics President Svein Arne Hansen. "The fact we have awarded Poděbrady the next three editions of the European Race Walking Team Championships shows we have the fullest confidence in the Local Organizing Committee to deliver the best environment for the athletes."
The European Walking Cup in 2021, 2023 and 2025 will be hosted by Poděbrady !!!SMOLA KONSTRUKCE OFFICIAL PARTNER of the European Cup in walking in 2021, 2023 and 2025 !! Elite European pedestrians will return to Poděbrady !!!
The European Team Walking Championships should visit Poděbrady in 2021, 2023 and 2025. The Czech Republic succeeded with the candidacy in the competition of Portugal, Slovakia and Ukraine. At the same time the company SMOLA KONSTRUKCE sro has become an official partner
"We are very happy that we have received the confidence from European Athletics to organize this important walking event. We take this as confirmation of the quality of the annual meeting and the successful year of the event in 2017, " says the chairman of the Czech Athletic Association Libor Varhaník. "The condition for organizing the Walking European Championships in Poděbrady is a guarantee of financial support from the government, the region and the city, which we are currently negotiating. Once we get them, we can sign a contract with European Athletics to host the European Team Walking Championships, " however, the Organist points out.
Sport walking has been associated with the spa town in Central Bohemia since the beginnings of the modern athletic movement. Already in 1894, the division of the AC Královské Vinohrady had the goal here, since 1929 the race from Prague to Poděbrady took place regularly. When the Chodec races moved to the circuits in the 90s, one was established in the local spa park. It is checked every year at an international meeting, which is also held as the republic championship. The World Cup took place there in 20, and the European version of this competition the year before last. Its successful organization also contributed to the allocation of the next three years: 1997, 2021, 2023, under the name European Race Walking Team Championships.