Andreas Hediger
Andreas Hediger highlights some of tomorrow’s features:
26 new world champions will compete tomorrow, as well as 12 reigning Olympic champions, 12 reigning European champions, and two current world record holders. “Being the first meeting after Beijing, we are able to present rematches. In some of the events, our fields are even stronger than in Beijing. We have the top eight athletes in the men’s 3000m SC. And in the women’s 3000m, we will showcase three new world champions, which is unique.”
We are also proud to present the new Swiss squad, including Kariem Hussein, Selina Büchel, Noemi Zbären, and Mujinga Kambundji.
The weather forecast for tomorrow is not bad: dry, no wind, and about 20 degrees Celsius.
Two questions came up: Will the pole vault competition be classified as a regular contest?
Answer: Yes, the pole vault competition will be considered an indoor event.
What will the pace be for the men’s 800m?
Answer: The intermediate time at 400m should be 49.50.
Christoph Joho
Christoph Joho explained that not everything changed after Res Brügger, the long-time Meeting Director, who left a few years ago. “We have four key elements: We always want to have the best field available – world championships in one night. We want a sold out stadium. We focus on the human touch; the spectators should feel the passion. And, we always try new things, instead of copying and pasting last year’s edition of the meeting.
Yesterday, we had kids’ event in seven towns with around 1000 participants, as well as Swiss and international athletes. And tonight, we are excited to present the men’s pole vault competition at Zurich Main Station. This will be a very special event during which we will be very close to the fans. And there is no better place to do this, than Zurich’s main train station.
We have changed the setup at the stadium slightly. The new UBS Swiss Corner is located just after the finishing line, and the fans will be animated to cheer the athletes with a choreography. Also, Cooly will be there, again. The mascot was introduced at the European Championships last year, and it enjoyed a huge success.
On Saturday, the UBS Kids Cup final event will take place at Letzigrund Stadium. The UBS Kids Cup is Weltklasse Zurich’s grassroots programme for kids aged 8-15. The kids can do interviews with the athletes, enjoy a day at the stadium, and compete against boys and girls of their age.
Kariem Hussein
Q: After the Beijing deception, is this the perfect place to get revenge?
A: It’s another great event and a great pleasure to compete in my stadium. It took me a few days to focus on this race, after Beijing, but I don’t need to find a special motivation. I am always motivated in my stadium. My goal is to win, and to run faster than ever before.
Q: Are you disappointed that most of the Beijing finalists are not here?
A: It would have been cool if they were here, but I don’t see the race as a rematch. It’s a new race, in front of my home crowd and don’t need the notion of revenge to motivate myself.
Q: How far do you live from the stadium? What are your hobbies?
A: I live 1km from the stadium, which allows me to enjoy home these days. I’m studying medicine here in Zurich, in the 5th year (out of 6). Because of my studies, I don’t have a lot of time to do many other things, but I like sports in general, to hang out with my friends, and see my family.
Q: How does it feel to be an athletics ambassador in your country?
A: It feels great! I don’t need to train every day now and being with kids is very motivating. It is strange when they ask me for an autograph instead of the Olympics medallists next to me.
Vivian Cheruiyot
Q: You are the 10000m world champion, what do you expect from tomorrow’s race?
A: First of all, I would like to say thank you to Zurich. It’s always nice to be here. For tomorrow’s race I’ll do my best to run fast.
Q: You came back after a maternity leave. How has becoming a mother influenced you?
A: It really changes a lot in your life. I love playing with my son. Tomorrow, I want to improve my time and do my best as it will be my last race of the year.
Genzebe Dibaba
Q: Competing in the 3000m tomorrow, is that the perfect competition for you?
A: The athletes in the field are strong, and I’ll do my best to win. And I pray to god that I can win.
Q: You had a tough schedule in Beijing. Were you able to rest?
A: I was a little bit tired from the 5000m race, but I had three days to recover, and I should be ready tomorrow.
Q: Do you fear Ayana’s strong finish?
A: I don’t like to think about the past, I want to think about tomorrow, I’m strong enough.
Q: Before your famous race in Monaco, everyone thought that record was unreachable. Do you think new world records are possible in the 3000m and 5000m, as well?
A: The 1500m record was a really hard to break, but I try my best to beat my own personal bests in the 3000m and 5000m.
Almaz Ayana
Q: In the 5000m in Beijing, your 3000m split time was impressive (08:18:92), the best time since 1993. Can we expect a similar performance here?
A: World championship races are tactical, in which you compete to win. Tomorrow, I will be running for the time, hopefully, it will be a good one.
Q: Which is your favourite distance?
A: My favourite event are the 5000m.
Dibaba: I prefer 1500m. It is a special distance for me.
Cheruiyot: I started my career with the 5000m; it’s a distance I really like. Although the 10000m are something I’m working a lot on during my half-marathon and marathon training.
Kirani James
Q: Yesterday was your birthday. Did you enjoy your special day?
A: Yeah, it was fun. I received a cake at breakfast, and I took part in the kids’ clinic. So, I was very happy and appreciated the day very much.
Q: You ran your second best time in Beijing. How did that feel?
A: Anytime you get to the podium, it’s special. It was already a great honour to be part of that kind of race.
Q: We have almost the same field tomorrow as in Beijing. What should we expect?
A: It’s going to be exciting! Who knows what we can do?
Q: Are you into football? And if yes, which team do you support?
A: I’m a Barcelona fan.
Wayde van Niekerk
Q: You had an unbelievable race in Beijing. What was the reaction in South Africa?
A: To me, it was a new experience. It was amazing. We all got to celebrate together, as a team, as a family. It’s our journey, not just mine.
Q: Among the reactions was even a tweet from Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet...
A: I’m a big Liverpool fan. It was quite exciting to get a tweet by a player. I guess it is all part of the journey, and I try to approach it as composed as possible. It is a blessing to travel the world. It’s exciting to be part of this experience. Knowing that I could inspire new generations is amazing.
Q: Kirani, you ran the second best time of your career, and it wasn’t enough to win another title. Are you more satisfied with your performance or your medal?
Kirani: Every time you’re on a podium, it is a great accomplishment. It was a great honour to be part of one of the fastest 400 m in history. And now, we are in Zurich, and we will try to do it again!
Q: Wayde, now the pressure is on your shoulders…
A: Everyone wants to be the number one, but I’m trying to stay the same I’ve always been when doing this sport.
Q: Did you sense that you had this potential?
A: I don’t limit myself. At the worlds, the line-up was impressive, and I didn’t have a moment to relax. I knew I had to give everything, all the way to the finishing line.
Q: Preparing to be a champion and preparing to stay a champion are two different things.
A: I will try to be myself, because this is the guy who brought me here, and who will take me to the next level.
Q: Is there anything you would like to improve after Beijing?
A: I’ve learned from Kirani’s experience. This is the time for me to write my own story. Times are just a bonus. I try not to stay stuck in the success at the worlds. I need to get over that and look to the next meetings and the Olympics.
Q: How did you improve that much?
A: I had many injuries in the past. But in the past two years, I could train consistently. This and competing with great athletes boosted my confidence as an athlete. In Beijing, I felt like I was the only one who gets tired after one race… After the race I saw Kirani running with the flag, and I couldn’t even find myself. When I saw all the media, I just wanted to sit down for a second first. That was a big mistake… I’m still new to this distance, and I have to learn how to manage this.
David Rudisha
Q: We read today that you’re waiting for some news from your wife!
A: Initially, the due date for the baby was 12 September, but the doctor said it might arrive a few weeks earlier, so we are still waiting. If she can wait, I’ll be back on the 13 or 14 September!
Q: What makes tomorrow’s event so special?
A: Zurich has been good to us, and I’ve been here a few times. We love the crowd, and I’m looking forward to another good competition.
Q: We heard you want to run fast tomorrow, what can we expect?
A: My best race was back in New York. I ran a tactical race in Beijing, so I’m thinking about pushing it tomorrow and see how fast I can go.
Q: How does it feel to be back on top after Beijing?
A: It was tough in 2013 and 2014. I was struggling to train well, and thus missing proper training for almost a year. When I started again, my body had almost forgotten how to run fast. But just for a while. The most important thing was that I stayed focused and mentally strong. I think that helped me a lot. Winning in Beijing was a great thing, and I’m already looking forward to Rio.
Q: Has it become more difficult to win since London 2012?
A: Just like in every other event, new and upcoming athletes are ready to push, and it’s tough to compete, if you’re body doesn’t hold up. But of course, we love to see young athletes. We can compete against them, but they also come to us for advice.
Q: Do you feel any pressure representing Kenya?
A: There is always pressure, but good pressure that keeps us moving. Whenever you see others perform well, you want to do your best for your country. Especially world championships, where you go through various qualification rounds, can be very challenging, however.
Q: Was it always the plan to run the first lap in 54 seconds in the Beijing final?
A: I changed the tempo in the final to confuse my opponents by running a tactical race. I had lacked that fine finishing speed in the past, so I trained short distances, knowing that they would have no chance.
Q: What is your next race?
A: I’ll go back to Germany to train and then fly to Rieti (Italy) for the next race.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce
Q: Hi Shelly, you have a new haircut!
A: I always have a new haircut. I just got my hair done yesterday, here in Zurich. They didn’t speak English, but Google Translate helped us go through this.
Q: You do many activities with kids. What do they mean to you?
A: It feels great. The kids clinic here was wonderful. Children show pure emotion, I love it.
Q: You were here many times. What is it about Zurich?
A: I love chocolate! And the atmosphere is great. Fans here are incredibly loud!
Beijing was a great championship for Jamaica. We were second on the medal table. The team improved a lot with new young athletes and in new disciplines, including shot put! This showed that Jamaica is not just about sprinters, and that there is always room for improvement.
We decided not to compete in the 200m in Beijing. The whole training was adjusted to that decision. But next year, I will be there. The level at the worlds was incredible. When I watched the race I thought “thank god I wasn’t there!”. Hopefully I can get there next year.
Q: What keeps you motivated?
A: I get to inspire young generations, and to help. I can show that what really matters is how hard you work, not where you come from.
Christian Taylor
Q: Do you follow football?
A: Yes, American Football, that is – the Florida Gators.
Q: What makes the Zurich organisers special hosts?
A: The food is really good, I’ve been hungry for a few weeks in Beijing. And the sleep has improved. The fans make a huge difference, the atmosphere pumps you up no matter what side of the track you’re on, and I know it’s going be a fierce competition.
Q: What is possible tomorrow?
A: My triple jump is solid, but you get left behind when you don’t keep up with long jump.
Q: What was the problem of the US jumpers in Beijing?
A: We just got knocked up. At championships, anything can happen: The first one in can be the first one out. I had the jump of my life in Beijing. I think lack of experience was a big part, but that’s part of the whole thing.
Q: Where do you see possibilities to improve in the triple jump?
A: I think it’s the board, you can definitely improve there.
Q: You seem to suck up the atmosphere in the stadium. You get involved with the crowd. Where did that come from?
A: I was inspired by YouTube. I watched Willie Banks films to see what he did. People went crazy.
Q: What do you do to wind down the after season?
A: I travel, try to make up for lost time. I try to spend quality time with my family – you lose a lot of time when staying in Europe throughout the season.
Q: Are you going to take part at the world indoor championships?
A: Yes, if they fit into the schedule, that’s a possibility. But the first priority is being at the Olympics.
Greg Rutherford
Q: Are there any goals left?
A: Of course! The long jump is improving a lot. I want to jump a lot further than I have jumped so far. And next year, it’s the Olympics… I’ll keep training in my backyard track!
Q: Do you have to make sacrifices in terms of what you eat?
A: After competitions, I can eat what I want for a few days, but otherwise I need to be very careful because I put on weight very fast, sadly…
Q: After the great results you accomplished, do you feel relief?
A: Pressure is never off. Everyone wants to beat me now. But that’s good. I can’t relax. For me it’s always about me and how far I can jump. I don’t think too much about what goes on around me.
Q: Will you be at the European Championships in Amsterdam?
A: We don’t know yet. I would love to, but it all depends on the schedule. People remember the Olympics. That is obviously going to be the most important event of the next season
