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SPECTATOR’S GUIDE Here’s some advice for ‘armchair athletes’ who enjoy sitting back to watch the world’s best sport IF you enjoy watching athletics just as much as actually doing it, then this article is for you. There is currently a wide variety of athletics on television and a never-ending supply of meetings to attend in order to see live athletics. Here, we hope to simplify what is available with a two-page guide listing all the best ways to watch the sport. Television The BBC is one of UK Athletics’ key partners and is dedicated to covering the No.1 Olympic sport. The main focus of the coverage falls on the domestic televised events organised by Fast Track such as the recent Grand Prix in Glasgow, plus:
In addition to this, the BBC also provides extensive coverage from the:
BBC Sport THE BBC coverage features commentary from experienced broadcasters and ex-athletes such as Steve Cram, Brendan Foster, Michael Johnson and Colin Jackson. The coverage sometimes also includes an interactive option, which allows you to select your coverage – for instance, you can pick the race you want to watch in the Flora London Marathon, or the event you prefer to see at a major championship such as Osaka in August. Eurosport ANY athletics fan worth his salt will ensure they have access to Eurosport as it simply shows so much athletics action. Eurosport covers most of the events covered by the BBC, such as the grands prix in Sheffield and London, but added to this it also covers a huge number of international grand prix meetings. The 2007 coverage includes, for instance, meetings in Belgrade, Prague, Ostrava, Athens, Zagreb, Lausanne, Stockholm, Rieti, Linz and the IAAF World Athletics Final in Stuttgart. |
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Eurosport, whose commentary team is headed by Tim Hutchings, will also offer extensive coverage from the IAAF World Championships in Osaka and this month’s European Cup. It does not, however, cover the Golden League series. Other coverage
The internet THIS is becoming a more popular area. Viewers who missed the coverage of last week’s televised grand prix meeting in Glasgow, for instance, could watch a 12-minute highlights package on BBC online. Smaller meetings, too, are using the power of the Internet. The British Milers’ Club, for example, has started offering clips from its meetings online. Hardcore fans desperate to see quality running, jumping and throwing can also find reams of recorded material on youtube.com. People who want to listen to the sport, can download one of the increasing number of podcasts available. See greatrun.org to sample one of the best examples. Radio coverage AS published in Athletics Weekly’s news pages recently, BBC Radio Five Live’s coverage of athletics is also extensive. So if you find yourself in your car when athletics is on telly, tune into medium wave 693 or 909. Finally ... KEEP an eye on our What’s On guide for fixtures and also TV and radio listings. In this issue of Athletics Weekly, for instance, we bring you news about the Sainsbury’s English Schools’ Championships being covered on television (page 13) and there is also a feature on how recreational runners can take the trip of a lifetime to the Toyota Great Ethiopian Run this September (page 29 - AW issue 62-23 ). How to get to live events
Domestic events Overseas meetings OUR advice is to use one of the highly experienced athletics trip organisers – Centresport Travel or Track & Field Tours. Both companies take clients to international meetings such as major senior and age-group championships, Golden League meetings and events such as the European Cup. Track & Field Tours can be contacted on 01277-354 377 or see www.trackandfield.co.uk for more information about the company. Centresport Travel, the official tour operator of the British Athletics Supporters’ Club, can be found on the net at www.centresporttravel.com or by calling 0121-246 2026. With many overseas championships being heavily booked and often expensive, it pays to plan ahead – so if you are thinking about travelling to events next year, then it is recommended you make enquiries now. Such 2008 events might include the Beijing Olympics, the IAAF World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz, or World Indoor Championships in Valencia in March. Some travellers are even enquiring already about events such as the 2010 Commonwelath Games in New Delhi – it pays to book ahead! For inexperienced travellers too, Athletics Weekly suggests that while events such as the Olympics, Worlds and Commonwealth Games are the most attractive options, some tremendous athletics can be enjoyed at more low-key meetings such as international junior championships. The annual European Cup always has a great atmosphere too and is well attended by UK fans keen to cheer on the British team. It doesn’t have to cost anything FOR athletics fans who cannot afford expensive overseas trips, bear in mind there are a number of cheap or free events to attend. Anyone, for example, can watch the action at the Flora London Marathon and BUPA Great North Run. Related to this, the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh next March will also be a tremendous experience for fans of distance running. Even in 2012, events such as the marathon and triathlon should be watchable from the roadside. Also do not restrict your spectator choices to the meetings that are on television. Meetings such as last week’s Bedford International Games have top-class line-ups and represent a great day out – especially if the sun shines! Road running adventures WITH the advent of cheap flights, more distance runners are heading abroad to race. Possible events this autumn include 26-milers such as the ING New York Marathon or Amsterdam Marathon. There are opportunities to combine training with racing too such as the Algarve Running Challenge (Oct 31-Nov 4), staged by Track & Field Tours, a company who also organise training trips to venues such as Spain, the Canaries, Malta and Cyprus. Athletics Weekly’s top tips for athletics spectators
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