“We look forward to Roma 2024 as a moment of collective celebration for athletics in Europe,” hailed European Athletics President Dobromir Karamarinov at today’s (19) official press conference for the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships, which will take place 7-12 June.
Speaking to Italian media at event hosted by the Mayor of Rome Roberto Gualtieri at the city’s iconic Aula Giulio Cesare in the Campidoglio, he added: “We all look forward to the return of our main event to one of the most iconic venues of sport, the Olympic Stadium.
“Together with the Olympic Games in Paris and the European Football Championship, it will be an incredible year for all of European sport.”
Italian stars set to shine
He was joined by dignitaries included Mayor Roberto Gualtieri, the president of FIDAL and the Foundation EuroRoma 2024 Stefano Mei, the Head of the Department for Sport of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers Flavio Siniscalchi, the president of CONI Giovanni Malagò, the president of the Italian Paralympic Committee Luca Pancalli, the president of Sport and Salute Marco Mezzaroma, the Councillor of Roma Capitale for Major Events, Sport, Tourism and Fashion Alessandro Onorato and Lazio Region Councillor for the Environment, Sport, Climate Change, Energy Transition, Sustainability Elena Palazzo.
Athletes in attendance included Olympic 20k race walk gold medallists Antonella Palmisano and Massimo Stano, European U20 long jump gold medallist Mattia Furlani, European 4x100m bronze medallist Zaynab Dosso and European U23 110m hurdles silver medallist Lorenzo Simonelli.
Roma 2024 marks exactly fifty years since the last edition hosted in the Italian capital in 1974, and will precede the start of the athletics competitions at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games by fifty days.
Europe’s premier athletics competition will consist of six consecutive days, 11 competition sessions, across 24 different disciplines with 141 medals up for grabs among an estimated entry of 1,600 athletes from 47 European federations.
Another memorable page of sport
“Fifty years after Pietro Mennea’s extraordinary victory at the Olympic Stadium in 1974 edition, the city is ready to relive those emotions and write another memorable page of sport together with the rest of the country.”
“It will be six exciting days for a great international event to which Rome will be the stage,” said the Mayor of Rome Roberto Gualtieri, recalling the exploits of the Italian sprint icon, who went on to win Olympic gold and break the world record in the men’s 200m.
Record breaking athletes
And the current generation of Italian athletes are building towards Roma 2024 in excellent shape, according to the Stefano Mei, President of the Italian Federation, FIDAL and the EuroRoma 2024 Foundation.
“From Gianmarco Tamberi to Marcell Jacobs all the best Italian athletes will be present,” he said. “Athletics is experiencing an extraordinary moment, confirmed by recent results, with a total of 17 Italian records in 9 different specialities in the last three weeks.
“The European Championships in Rome 2024 will be the occasion to show the growth of our movement and the springboard towards the Olympics in Paris.”
Institutional statements
“The Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships, 50 years after the last edition hosted in our country, rewrite history and reward the international credibility of the Italian Federation chaired by Stefano Mei. It celebrates the great results achieved by the entire movement in recent years, in the wake of the sensational record achieved at the Olympic Games of Tokyo 2020,” said the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) president Giovanni Malagò.
The President of the Italian Paralympic Committee Luca Pancalli emphasised that “such a prestigious event recalls extraordinary pages of the Italian sports. The Italian athletics as they are today authorise us to think big, and a challenge within a challenge awaits us: not only to confirm ourselves at the current high levels, but also to prove that the city of Rome and our country have all that it takes to host major sports events, turning them into an opportunity for the economic, cultural and social growths”.
The Head of the Department for Sport of the Presidency of the Italian Council of Ministers Flavio Siniscalchi said: “We are showing today the enthusiasm and professionalism by which Rome is preparing to welcome such an important and awaited sports event. Together with the greetings of the Minister for Sports and Youths Andrea Abodi, who strongly supported this project, I believe these championships are an extraordinary opportunity to increase not only the economic but also the cultural GDP of our country. Let us continue together this way, with great enthusiasm and cooperation,”.
“We are proud to host the European Athletics Championships at the Foro Italico Park and to be committed for the operational role in the Local Committee organisation, together with the EuroRoma2024 Foundation. We are looking forward to welcoming athletes &fans in a totally renewed Foro Italico, from the Olympic Stadium to the Stadio dei Marmi, including the Village and the Medal Plaza for the prize-giving ceremonies. All major sports events are a flywheel for the economy, tourism, for the growth of sporting practice, and an opportunity to promote the social values of sports, respect and correct lifestyles,” said the President of Sport e Salute, Marco Mezzaroma.
Councillor of Roma Capitale Alessandro Onorato said that the refurbished stadia will present the perfect stage. “It will be the most beautiful European Championships in recent years,” he said.
“The competitions will take place not only in a renovated Olympic Stadium and in the magnificent Stadio restored to its former glory, but also in the most iconic places of the city in the shadow of the most evocative monuments.”
“The Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships represent a driving force for sports and tourism promotion, that is why the Lazio Region has given its full support to this event. Athletics play already a big role in termns of practising and facilities in our region: a reason why Marcell Jacobs will train soon at the Guidobaldi Stadium in Rieti, the next May, to be ready for such a big challenge, and all fans will be able to attend the training sessions for free, another way to get into the Europeans mood all together,’ said Lazio Region Councillor Elena Palazzo.
Tickets start at €5
Organisers have also confirmed that during the event, a Fan Village will be set up in the Foro Italico Park for interaction between partner companies and the public. Tickets and season tickets to follow the Roma 2024 European Athletics Championships are on sale on the Vivaticket platform , with prices starting from €5 plus presale fees and service fees for the morning sessions.
The EuroRoma 2024 Foundation is preparing a series of special promotions, some of which are already active, dedicated to Italian athletics clubs affiliated to FIDAL and European Athletics clubs, schools, sponsors and partners of the event.
In addition to tickets for individual competition sessions, subscriptions are available for the first three competition days (7-9 June), the last three (10-12 June) and the complete package to follow the entire event (7-12 June).
Premium tickets are also on sale in Monte Mario Grandstand, Arrival and Departure Sides for a close up view of all the action. Plus, to encourage families to visit, children up to 6 years of age will be admitted free of charge.