Dutch beat Istanbul in 2016 bid
HELSINKI - The Associated Press
Wirz speaks at a meeting to announce the host of the 2016 championships. REUTERS photo
Amsterdam has beaten Istanbul and Split to have been chosen to host the 2016 European track and field championships.
The European Athletics Council said on Nov. 4 that Amsterdam was “the outstanding candidate” to host the event.
Helsinki will hold the championships next year, followed by Zurich in 2014.
European Athletics President Hansjorg Wirz celebrated the winning city in a statement released by the organization.
“We are very pleased to confirm that Amsterdam will be the hosts of the European Athletics Championships in 2016,” he said. “We are sure that we can look forward to a fantastic event.”
It will be the 23rd staging of the championships and will follow on from the 2012 renewal in Helsinki and 2014 in Zurich.
It was also announced at the European Athletics Council meeting in Helsinki that Serbian capital Belgrade will host 2013’s European Cross Country Championships.
