European Athletics President Svein Arne Hansen was in Estonia on Thursday and Friday for discussions with the country’s leading sports administrators and also to attend the Estonian Athletics Awards 2016 gala as a guest of honour.
One his first day in the Estonian capital Tallinn, he met with local federation president and European Athletics Council colleague Erich Teigamägi and Estonian Athletics Association General Secretary Sirje Lippe as well as Estonian Olympic Committee Vice-President Jüri Tamm and members of the NOC Executive Committee Erki Nool and Gerd Kanter.
All three NOC officials have a close relationship with athletics. Tamm is a former hammer world record holder and two-time Olympic medallist, Nool was the 2000 Olympic Games decathlon gold medallist and Kanter won the 2008 Olympic discus title and is still active in the sport.
'The meeting with the leaders of the Estonian sport, and also athletics, was very thought-provoking. Estonians are generators of good ideas and they offered a number of interesting ways to increase the attractiveness of our sport. Some of the ideas will definitely be discussed by our Event and Competition Commission,' commented President Hansen, who was active as usual on social media throughout his visit.
Much of the discussion revolved around the European Athletics combined events competitions, disciplines of athletics with which Estonia has a particular affinity and has been an active promoter.
Estonian Athletics Association President Teigamägi noted that Hansen’s visit to Tallinn gave them the chance to actively participate in talks about delivering change within European Athletics.
'When it comes to delivering change, in areas so important to us such as combined events competitions, it is vital for Estonian athletics have these discussions and make our views heard.
“President Hansen's visit also coincides with a strong year for our athletes and I’m glad this has been recognised outside Estonia and athletes have come to recognize the Federation's president personally,” said Teigamägi.
The Estonian Athletics Awards 2016 gala on Friday saw the Athlete of the Year awards go to Gerd Kanter and Ksenija Balta, fifth and sixth respectively in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games discus and long jump.
Among the other awards presented were a European Athletics Coaching Award to Harry Lemberg and a European Athletics Member Federation Award to Jaak Vettik.
“I am honoured to be here at this important event in Tallinn. Athletics is clearly one of the largest and most successful sports in Estonia and deserve recognition for all athletes, coaches, athletic leaders, supporters and fans,” added President Hansen.
Also in attendance at the gala were Estonia’s Culture Minister Indrek Saar and the President of the Estonian Olympic Committee Urmas Sõõrumaa, with the latter echoing President Hansen’s remarks.
'With 20% of all the sportsmen and women participating in the Rio Summer Olympics representing athletics that makes it Estonia’s largest Olympic event. This is a clear measure for judging the success of a sport and its potential for development. In addition, Estonians' ability and knowledge in organising sport is now known widely and that success will benefit others, 'said Sõõrumaa.