Riedel headed for Bob Hasan meet
Riedel headed for Bob Hasan meet
JAKARTA (JP): World discus champion Lars Riedel of Germany confirmed yesterday that he will participate in the second Bob Hasan Track and Field Invitational Meet here on May 4.
Riedel's confirmation was faxed by his coach Helmut Ebert to the Indonesian Track and Field Association (PASI) yesterday, the association's spokeswoman Nia Sarinastiti Regar told The Jakarta Post yesterday.
With his confirmation, Riedel became the first world champion to officially accept the invitation to the meet, a prelude to a possible Asian track and field grand prix. Three other world champions have been invited, though none have responded yet.
The organizers initially invited 50 world-class athletes, four of whom are the world top three. No prize money is being offered.
As of yesterday, 29 athletes from 12 countries, including China, had confirmed their participation.
Riedel produced a golden hat trick in the last three world championships with record breaking style. He won the 1991 championships in Tokyo with a throw of 66.20 meters and bettered the record in 1993 in Stuttgart, Germany, with a 67.76m throw. In last year's competition in Gothenburg, Sweden, Riedel rewrote the mark at 68.74m.
The association's secretary-general Barmawi Chaidir told the Post that the big names are expected to give their confirmation to Maurice R. Nicholas, secretary and treasurer of the Asian Amateur Athletics Association.
Chaidir added that PASI chairman Mohammad (Bob) Hasan is seeking help from the International Amateur Athletics Federation to bring them here.
Hasan asked for the assistance at one of the federation's counsel meetings in Cape Town, South Africa, which was held in conjunction with the world cross-country championships concluded two weeks ago.
"Perhaps we will be able to figure out a complete list of participants in the invitational meet at the next amateur athletics meeting in Seoul on May 6, one day before the Asian 8x5,27km marathon relay championship," Chaidir said. (arf)