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Record number of participants expected at Moscow IAAF Athletics Championships

According to preliminary applications, 205 athletes from 212 countries the federations of which are IAAF members are expected to participate in the competition

PARIS, April 19 (Itar-Tass) – The World Championships in Athletics, to be held in Moscow on August 10–18, is expected to draw a record number of participants and national teams.

The Public Relations Department of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), headquartered in Monaco, said that according to preliminary applications, 205 athletes from 212 countries the federations of which are IAAF members are expected to participate in the competition. The previous record – 202 countries was set at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics 1999 in Seville (Spain).

Personal applications have been submitted by 1,409 men and 1,107 women athletes. The current record is 1,173 men participants, 856 – women and 1,894 – in total.

For comparison, the first World Championships in Athletics in 1983 in Helsinki drew 877 men and 458 women. At the Moscow championship events this figure is expected to be higher by 40 percent in the men’s tournament and by 50 percent – in the women’s.