Birmingham Diary: News from Birmingham, from EME News

BIRMINGHAM (GBR): Six World Indoor Championships medals will be reallocated during ceremonies at the World Indoor Championships in Birmingham on Friday and Saturday. These upgrades follow the disqualification of the results of the original medallists after their sanction for anti-doping violations. Shot putters Joachim Olsen and Ralf Bartels will receive their upgraded silver medals from the 2006 and 2010 World Indoor Championships respectively on Fridayevening. Tianna Bartoletta and Concepcion Montaner will receive their upgraded gold and bronze medals from the long jump at the 2006 World Indoor Championships on Saturday and Marija Sestak (triple jump) and Hyleas Fountain (pentathlon) will also be presented with their medals on Saturday. Seven athletes in line for medal upgrades are unable to attend but the IAAF is in contact with their federations to find other occasions to present them with their medals. The Czech Republic 4x400m team will receive their bronze medals from the 2010 World Indoor Championships at the IAAF Continental Cup in September in Ostrava. From IAAF.
BIRMINGHAM (GBR): European indoor 800m silver medallist Shelayna Oskan-Clarke and European indoor 60m hurdles champion Andrew Pozzi have been voted co-captains by their teammates for the World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, informs British Athletics.
DARMSTADT (GER): Long jumper Sosthene Moguenara has been added to the German team for the World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, informs Leichtathletik.de. Moguenara received a wildcard after winning the IAAF World Indoor Tour with 6.83m to finish second in Glasgow. Alexandra Wester has pulled out due to injury and 800m runner Marc Reuther is also a late withdrawal due to illness.
BRUSSELS (BEL): Jacques Borlee hopes the Belgian 4x400m team at the World Indoor Championships will at least make the final in Birmingham, informs sport.be. "We have a very nice team. The first goal is to reach the final, which is not easy, but we have five athletes in shape and we go there with confidence," he said. The Belgian 4x400m team is made up of Dylan, Kevin and Jonathan Borlee as well as Jonathan Sacoor and Michael Rossaert.
BIRMINGHAM (GBR): SPAR has been announced as a national partner for @WICBham2018. The UK's leading convenience store group recently confirmed a three-year sponsorship deal with @BritAthletics. Informs Athletics Weekly twitter.
BIRMINGHAM (GBR): Kenyan Bethwel Birgen who on the 1500 m on Sunday in Glasgow and is the Indoor Tour Wild Card holder for 1500 m from 2017 will not run this event at the World Indoors. He prefers to concentrate in the 3000 m where he was selected by Athletics Kenya. Confirms his agent Ricky Simms.
BIRMINGHAM (GBR): A total of US $2,464,000 is on offer from the IAAF as prize money at the IAAF World Indoor Championships Birmingham 2018. There is also a US $50,000 bonus on offer for any athlete setting a world record during the four-day championships. The prize money is as follows. Individual event: 1st $40,000, 2nd $20,000, 3rd $10,000, 4th $8000, 5th $6000, 6th $4000. Relays per team: 1st $40,000, 2nd $20,000, 3rd $10,000, 4th $8000, 5th $6000, 6th $4000.
SANTIAGO (CHI): Chile will be represented at World Indoors by female sprinter Isidora Jimenez who improved the national record to 7.29 this winter. She will debut at World Indoors, actually only competed twice indoors before at meets in Brasil. That means European indoor debut for her.
KINGSTON (JAM): Veteran coach Fitz Coleman has replaced Maurice Wilson as technical director of Jamaica's team to the IAAF World Indoor Championships. The team has been further reduced to 27, following the withdrawal of US collegiate sprint hurdlers Rushell Burton and Jeanine Williams. Informs Jamaica Gleaner.