Tampere, Valencia to host 2018 U-20 IAAF World Athletics championship

The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) decided on Thursday at the 203rd council meeting, that the Finnish city of Tampere, the sole bidder, will host the 2018 under-20 world championships.

With Helsinki having twice staged the IAAF World Championships, this will be the first time that Finland has played host to an age-group IAAF championship event.

Ten years after hosting the IAAF World Indoor Championships, and 37 years after hosting the IAAF World Race Walking Cup, Valencia will stage its third IAAF World Athletics Series event. It will be the second time Spain has hosted the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships, 22 years after Palma de Mallorca staged the event.

“I am delighted to congratulate Tampere and Valencia, who have won the right to host the World U20 and World Half Marathon Championships in 2018. They each delivered impressive presentations and documents befitting the IAAF World Athletics Series and we are assured of successful competitions in two years’ time,” IAAF President Sebastian Coe said.

Congratulations Tampere and Valencia, 2018 IAAF World U20 and IAAF World Half Marathon hosts. Impressive bid presentations by all

— Seb Coe (@sebcoe) March 10, 2016

The IAAF council also decided on Thursday that the world indoor tour will be expanded to five meetings in 2017 with the addition of Dusseldorf, Germany, plus one additional meeting in 2018. The World Relays Nassau will be held on 22-23 April 2017, while the Continental Cup Ostrava to be on 7-8 September 2018.