The event started with athletes and spectators paying their respects to the victims and everyone affected by the tragic earthquake in Turkey and Syria. The organisers announced during the opening ceremony that all ticket sale proceeds would be given to the earthquake victim fund, making an even bigger difference to the lives of those impacted. European Athletics also announced that they would pay one euro for every ticket sold to the fund.
The event saw a total of 593 athletes participating with the number of male and female athletes being closer than ever before (301 men and 292 women), showing a great reflection of European Athletics promotion of women in the sport.
Media interest for the event was exceptional with 480 accredited media onsite, including 120 photographers, capturing all of the action over the four days. The competition generated wide interest across various countries. In the UK, BBC live coverage on the Saturday and Sunday sessions saw an average of 1 million people watching, with viewing peaking on Sunday afternoon when over 1.5 million people watched Jazmin Sawyers victory in the women’s long jump. Additionally, in the Netherlands, two full-length highlights programmes aired on Friday and Sunday evenings, with Sunday being the most watched and averaging 376,000 viewers.
As a principal sponsor since 1996, SPAR continues to support European Athletics, promoting healthy lifestyles from grass-roots upwards. SPAR had a strong brand presence with the SPAR athletes’ number bibs branding, dedicated signage in the stadium, and through overall event branding providing great exposure for the SPAR brand across the weekend.
The next exciting event on the calendar is the European Athletics Team Championships in Silesia, Poland from 23-25 June 2023.
Source: European Athletics