There are three more days before the beginning of the biggest athletics spectacle in the region, the European Athletics Indoor Championships, to be held from 3 to 5 March in the Kombank Arena, Belgrade.
The first European Indoor Athletics Championships were held in Vienna in 1970. The Championships were organized every year until 1990 after which they became a biennial event.
The European Indoor Athletics Championships will be the biggest athletics event for Belgrade since SPAR European Cross Country Championships in 2013, two European Athletics Team Championships 2nd League and other athletics events that were organized in the city.
Thanks to the achievements of our athletes over the past few years, the “queen of sports” has returned to Serbia in all her glory and top athletes like Ivana Španović, Asmir Kolašinac, Emir Bekrić and others have become sports idols and role models to the young generations. Because of the values promoted by athletics, the Athletics Federation of Serbia and the city of Belgrade are dedicated to the organization of this important event. The goal is to deliver an enjoyable experience for the spectators who will share in the excitement of watching some of the best athletes compete, as well as find inspiration in overcoming challenges off the race track.
The Championships will be held in Kombank arena, a state-of-the-art multipurpose hall for sports competitions, cultural events, exhibitions, fairs, entertainment and other gatherings. The arena is spacious and comfortable and equipped with the latest technology and a full range of guest services. Every year, Kombank arena attracts between 600,000 and 800,000 visitors. During the Championships, it will offer a seating capacity for 10,000 people. This multifunctional venue provides perfect grounds for hosting athletics competitions and enabling participants to achieve outstanding results. In addition, the construction of the athletics hall in Belgrade will be completed in 2015, providing athletes with a superb setting and modern facilities for training.
Slobodan Popović, head coach of the Serbian athletics national team, has chosen the athletes to compete at the European Indoor Championships in the Kombank Arena from 3-5 March 2017, Belgrade.
The list has the names of twelve athletes with the entry standards for the EIC: Ivana Španović (women’s long jump), Asmir Kolašinac (shot put), Amela Terzić and Goran Nava (1500m), Tamara Salaški and Miloš Raović (400m), Lazar Anić and Strahinja Jovančević (men’s long jump), Mihail Dudaš (heptathlon), Dušan Makević (3000m), Milica Emini (60m hurdles) and Milana Tirnanić (60m).
All our national team members are ready to do their best under the dome of the Kombank Arena, fighting for the shiniest trophies. However, the spotlight will be on top athletes such as Ivana Španović, Asmir Kolašinac, Amela Terzić and Mihail Dudaš whose results and rankings at the biggest athletics events have shown that they are among the European and world athletics elite.
We are sure that the support from the audience will help Serbian athletes gain the prestigious European medals and make Serbia proud of them. So, this is an invitation to all sports fans to come to the Arena and cheer for all contestants, impartially and in the best sports manner, thus showing that not only can we organise major sports events but also create a fantastic atmosphere.