The Athletissima meeting is steeped in tradition. The headquarters hotel is the Movenpick, located along the shore of Lake Geneva, in the city of Lausanne, the french speaking part of Switzerland. This first press conference featured three Swiss athletes:
Julien Wenders, breaking Swiss 10k record (28:22), photo courtesy TrackandLife.fr
Julien Wanders, a distance runner, has PBs of 13:37.48 for 5,000 meters, 28:06.17 for 10,000m, and 1:01:43, for the half marathon, all run in 2017. Wanders was injured after his 10,000m PB and Half marathon PB, but has had a two month training block with all the muscles firing, and is focused on running 13:22.60, the A standard for the London 2017 World Champinships. Julien will have a pacer for his pace in the 5000 meters on 6 July.
Selina Buchel, photo by PhotoRun.net
Selina Buchel is the two time winner of the European indoor 800 meters, in Praha in 2015 and in Belgrade in 2017. Buchel has run her PB at Lausanne in 2015, with 1:57.95. This year’s 800 meters is very hot, and Selina hopes to run her personal best. She is a tough runner and has done well in physical races. Selina is fit and wants to race well.
Kariem Hussein, photo by PhotoRun.net
In 2014, Kariem Hussein enthused his fellow Swiss with his masterful and suprising win over the 400 meter hurdles in the 2014 European Outdoor Champs in Zurich. In 2016, in Amsterdam, Kariem Hussein took the bronze medal over the 400 meter hurdles. In medical school, Kariem will graduate in 2018. This is the first year, in two years, that Kariem is happy with his health and fitness. He is looking for a seasonal best on Thursday and hopes to run in the 48 second range.
The interview below features a wonderful translater, who understands the sport as well as French and English. Her fluidity during these press conferences in amazing.
Like Paris, the media have pretty good access to the elite. Our only issue is that, with translations and such, interviews of 25 minutes are really half of that. But, this was admirable in the number and breadth of athletes. Here is the interview, posted below.
