Youngsters from Shettleston Athletics Club were in high spirits at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow in March. They joined Eilidh Doyle, former GB & NI team captain and one of Scotland’s most successful track and field athletes, to celebrate just one year to go to the World Athletics Indoor Championships.
Taking place from 1 to 3 March 2024, the event is one of the sport’s premier championships and reaffirms Scotland’s, and Glasgow’s, position as a world-leading events destination.
The World Athletics Indoor Championships is held every two years and provides three action-packed days of intense competition, in an intimate arena. Fans can witness the raw athleticism and talent of many of the world’s best athletes at close range.
Glasgow successfully hosted the European Athletics Indoor Championships in 2019, and World Athletics will now bring its 2024 championships to the same arena. Furthermore, the 2024 championship takes on added significance as it falls within the qualification period for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. With athletes honing their preparations for this important year ahead, up to 700 competitors from more than 130 countries are expected to take part.
Up to 5,000 passionate fans can be accommodated in the arena for each of the six sessions. Ticket preregistration is now open online to enable athletics supporters to get in line to book their seats for this must-see event next year.
What makes the World Athletics Indoor Championships unique is the intimacy of the competition. The fans really get up close to the world’s best athletes and can appreciate just how amazing their performances are. That creates an incredibly exciting atmosphere for athletes and fans alike.
“I’ll never forget the finale to the most recent World Indoor Championships in Belgrade, where Ivana Vuleta delighted her home crowd with victory in the long jump and Mondo Duplantis brought the house down by breaking the world pole vault record – something that Glasgow fans also experienced from Mondo in 2020.
“Glasgow has a fine record of hosting great athletics events, from the 2014 Commonwealth Games to the 2019 European Indoors Championships, so we already know this will be an exceptional stop on the journey to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games,” said World Athletics president Sebastian Coe
Doyle announced as ambassador
Also announced as the World Athletics Indoor Championships ambassador, Eilidh Doyle competed in both the 400m hurdles and 400m, and featured as a regular member of the GB & NI 4x400m relay team amassing an overall tally of 17 major international podium places. She memorably won silver at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and won numerous indoor medals on European and global tournaments including silver at the 2019 European Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow.
“I am thrilled to be announced as ambassador for the World Athletics Indoor Championships. It is a real honour. I am excited that, as well as promoting the event, I will be contributing to the event steering group, ensuring that the operational plans put in place meet the needs of the athletes, creating the right environment to enable them to compete at their very best.
“Glasgow and Scotland have always been committed to innovation and delivering sport-focused, athlete centred events, which is why athletes love to come here, so I am sure Glasgow will step up yet again, taking the 2024 World Indoor Championships to the next level. I know from competing at the Emirates regularly that the atmosphere will be incredible, so I urge all athletics fans to preregister for tickets while they can!” said Eilidh Doyle, World Indoor Championships ambassador
“Scotland is one of the best places in the world to experience events and we are looking forward to welcoming athletes, officials and fans to Glasgow in one year’s time for the World Athletics Indoor Championships.
“This sporting event joins an enviable portfolio of other major events to be hosted across the country over the last 10 years and will reinforce our reputation as a world leading destination and the perfect stage for events.
“The unveiling of the brand mark and the announcement of Eilidh as the World Indoor Championships ambassador is the start of many exciting milestones to come over the next 12 months and we look forward to continuing to work with World Athletics and our partners to deliver a truly memorable event for everyone,” said Paul Bush OBE, Director of Events
