This is the famous Mixed Zone in Stockholm, photo by J. Stuart Weir
The Bauhaus Stockholm DL is one of my favorite meets in the world. I have usually gone to the meet, especially when it is the end of the season, and hung out in Sweden for a week. Stuart Weir got the opportunity this time, and his observerations on the facility and the DL were great intro for his coverage of the meet. This story was supposed to be for Saturday, but I was flying and wifi was not working.
Here’s the stairs for the most unique Media seats in the DL, photo by PhotoRun.net
Stu is right. The media set up in Bauhaus is one of the most unusual media set ups, but the view from the stands is very good. I have to admit, I love the presser at Stockholm as well. Watch for our link to the presser, as it is a fun series of interviews.
Thanks again to Stu for his coverage of Bauhaus Stockholm.
The next Diamond League event I attend will be in the London Stadium, the 2012 Olympic Stadium. This weekend’s Diamond League is in the Stockholm Olympic Stadium, built for the 1912 Olympics. The building – still much of the original structure – has character and for that you forgive it some of challenges that the old building throws up.
The 1912 Stockholm Olympic Stadium, photo by J. Stuart Weir
The media seats for example are on a temporary scaffold structure with metal walkways. Last year it rained and the wet walkways were treacherous. The mixed zone – where journalists meet athletes after races – is part of the terracing where spectators stand. Before my hip replacement it was perfect for me as I had one leg shorter than the other.
At the 1912 Olympics the stadium which holds about 13,000 was used for athletics, football (soccer), equestrian events, gymnastics, wrestling and tug of war. The 1956 Olympics were in Melbourne, Australia but because of issues of quarantine of horses the 1956 Olympic equestrian events were held in Stockholm, in this stadium.
Another view of the Media seating in Stockholm, photo by J. Stuart Weir
Since 1967 the stadium has been home to the DN Galan athletics event which became part of the IAAF Diamond League in 2011. The stadium has also hosted Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen and the Rolling Stones. While the London stadium is more modern and user-friendly it cannot compete with Stockholm’s history or character.
Another example of the history is the fact that since 1994 the event has offered a diamond bonus to anyone breaking a stadium record, under the slogan that records will be broken but diamonds are forever. Since its inception, 72 diamonds have been handed out.. The diamond winners list reads like a who’s who of Track and Field including:
2016 Ruth Jebet BRN 3000 m SC
2012 and 2013 Valerie Adams NZL Shot Put
2007 and 2009 Allyson Felix USA 200 m
2008 Yelena Isinbayeva RUS Pole Vault
2007 Kenenisa Bekele ETH 3000 m
2005 Yelena Isinbayeva RUS Pole Vault
1998 and 1999 Maurice Greene USA 1000 m
1997 Ato Boldon TRI 100 m
1995 and 1996 Michael Johnson USA 200 m
1994 Irina Privalova RUS 100 m and 200m
Now who might get a diamond this year?
