TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Leon County is gearing up for the World Athletics Cross Country Championship, the first world championship level event ever hosted in the Tallahassee area.
According to a Leon County press release, over 450 of the world’s top runners will compete in five championship races, including the United States, Kenya, Uganda, Ethiopia, Spain and Great Britain.
In a press conference held Friday at noon, a World Athletics official said on the visa denials for some athletes, “The world is a complicated place. Cross-country can provide an opportunity to come together. The US Olympic Committee and local authorities have been helpful.”
He added, “So we’ve got a good turnout tomorrow, but the world’s complicated.”
Leon County Commissioner Christian Caban said in a press release that Tallahassee was “honored to host” and that the race is expected to bring $4 million in economic impact.
“This park alone has generated more than $83 million in economic impact for folks in Tallahassee and Leon County. That’s benefiting small businesses, restaurants, hotels, retail,” Caban said in an interview.
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The World Athletics president proclaimed Tallahassee the “cross country capital of the world,” a remarkable turnaround for Apalachee Regional Park, which used to be a landfill.
“This is a really good turnout. And it’s very much in keeping with where we’ve got. We’ve got 450 athletes here and we’ve got, as I said, nearly 50 countries. That’s a great turnout,” said Sebestian Coe, the president of World Athletics.
Leon County Commissioner Vincent S. Long said in the press release that the county’s vision for the park’s renovations paid off. “Over the past 15 years, Leon County transformed an inactive landfill into a premier cross-country venue that has hosted more than 75 championship events, welcomed more than 80,000 athletes, and generated over $84 million in direct visitor spending.”
More than 5,000 tickets have already been sold to spectators who are coming from all 50 states and several other countries.
Taylor Wheaton, co-chair and senior sports sales director for Visit Tallahassee, said in the press release that the event advances Leon County’s sports tourism portfolio. “The world is literally watching Tallahassee this weekend.”
There is also a World Fun Run: Florida Edition that will support the Leon County Schools’ track and cross-country programs, per the county. The Florida A&M University Marching 100 is expected to perform the national anthem.
The race is expected to begin at 9:45 a.m. with gates opening at 7:45 a.m. on Saturday at Apalachee Regional Park.
Runners from Chiles High School got a chance to checkout the course after winning a state title.
Athletes from Australia were seen snapping pics in front of a large banner, while a French athlete spoke of his excitement through a translator.
A World Athletics spokesperson said an American hasn’t won a gold medal since 1992, though several US athletes home that will change on home soil on Saturday.
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