Unforgotten are her multiple gold medals in the long jump from the Olympic Games, World Championships and European Championships and thirteen years after announcing her retirement, Heike Drechsler will return to Berlin’s Olympic Stadium - but not as an active athlete.
Drechsler will help to ensure that the horizontal jumpers will enjoy the best possible competitive environment by working as an official at the European Athletics Championships in Berlin from 7-12 August.
“I have dreamt of being part of the Berlin 2018 European Athletics Championships next summer. If you love the sport of athletics, you want to give something back,“ said Drechsler, who claimed eight major outdoor long jump titles between 1983 and 2000.
But despite her many years competing at the highest level around the world, Drechsler - like all officials - still had to participate in a series of workshops organised by the German Athletic Federation. Drechsler also worked at the German Youth Championships for the first time in her new official role, raking the long jump pit – and by doing so, giving back to the next generation.
And next summer, Drechsler will be giving back to the current generation of European athletes by performing similar duties in the Olympic Stadium where Drechsler bid farewell to her home fans in 2004.
A summer full of athletics and good preparation ahead of Berlin 2018
The 76th edition of the ISTAF on 27 August, the last competition held inside the Olympic Stadium before the European Championships, met the expectations of the organisers and was widely considered a successful test event for next year.
The CEO of Berlin 2018, Frank Kowalski, said: “For us, this ISTAF has been a great opportunity to observe, learn and test procedures and processes in real life conditions“.
Furthermore, a great atmosphere and many world class performances across the afternoon demonstrated once again why Berlin‘s Olympic Stadium is regarded as one of the world’s best sporting arenas.
In addition to the ISTAF, another innovative athletics event completed the summer of athletics in Berlin on 2 September.
The annual team competition - “Berlin fliegt,“ or “Berlin flies” - was held once again in front of the Brandenburg Gate and in the heart of the city. World class athletes and champions from all over the world brought the sport close to the fans and proved once again that Berlin and athletics is a perfect fit.
So be ready and get your tickets for the European Athletics Championships Berlin 2018 here: http://www.berlin2018.info/en/tickets/
More information on the 2018 European Championships:
- The Berlin 2018 European Athletics Championships will be part of the first multi-sport European Championships along with co-hosts Glasgow.
- It will be a must-watch, must-attend experience that elevates the status of European Champions, uniting existing European Championships to celebrate the highest honour in European sport and celebrating the defining moments that create Champions.
- It is the continent’s ultimate multi-sport event, an 11-day celebration of European sport staged every 4 years.
- Seven of Europe’s leading sports (athletics, aquatics, rowing, golf, cycling, gymnastics, triathlon) will be brought together for the first edition.
- The European Athletics Championships in Berlin will be staged 7-12 August. The six other sports will be staged in Glasgow through 2-12 August.
- 4,500 athletes and 52 nations will compete across the seven sports.
- Potential TV audience of over 1 billion with millions more across multiple digital platforms.
- Over half a million spectators expected.