European Athletics is happy to announce that the Portuguese city of Leiria will host the 2020, 2021 and 2022 editions of the European Throwing Cup, following a decision by the European Athletics Executive Board on Sunday 3 March.
The decision to award the Cup to the same venue for three consecutive years was made taking into consideration Leiria's excellent facilities, its previous organisation experience at staging the Cup as well as its commitment to hosting European Athletics competitions.
The event was first held in 2001 as the European Winter Throwing Challenge. It was renamed as the European Cup Winter Throwing in 2005 and then the European Throwing Cup in 2017.
Leiria was the host for the 2014, 2015 and 2018 editions of the Cup as well as the inaugural edition of the European Athletics Team Championships in 2009.
“It is with a great enthusiasm that Leiria has received the news that we will host the European Throwing Cup for the three year period between 2020 to 2022,” commented Paulo Vieira, the president of the Leiria athletics club Juventude Vidigalense which will help organise the Cup.
“It was a very careful bidding process and Juventude Vidigalense, the City of Leiria and the Portuguese Athletics Federation were committed to show why the city and the country are capable of hosting this event once again. The excellence of the sports facilities, the weather conditions, our motivation and a great deal of organisational experience were some of the factors we believe have contributed to this decision.
“As we have done in 2014, 2015 and 2018, we shall offer all the teams the best conditions possible so that the athletes will be able to excel as we, once more, also expect to excel,” added Vieira.
The 2019 European Throwing Cup will be held this weekend, Saturday 9 March and Sunday 10 March, in Samorin, Slovakia.