By Duncan Mackay

The Olympiastadion in Berlin will host the 2018 European Athletics ChampionshipsNovember 2 - Berlin will host the 2018 European Athletics Championships, it was confirmed today.


The German capital was the only bidder for the event and the European Athletics ruling Council officially awarded them the Championships at its meeting in Zurich today.

"We are very pleased to confirm that Berlin will be the hosts of the European Athletics Championships in 2018," said European Athletics President Hansjörg Wirz

"They have impressed us today with a fantastic interactive presentation.

"We are convinced that Berlin 2018 will be a great event."

Berlin had hosted the 2009 International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships at the Olympiastadion, an event widely considered a big success. 

"Berlin's Olympic Stadium is one of the most modern stadiums in Europe," said Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit,

"With the 2009 IAAF World Championships, we have already shown that we can organise an outstanding major international athletics event."

European Athletics President Hansjörg Wirz and director general Christian Milz with Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit, DLV President Dr. Clemens Prokop and vice-president Dagmar Freitag after Berlin was awarded the 2018 European Athletics ChampionshipsEuropean Athletics President Hansjörg Wirz and director general Christian Milz with Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit, DLV President Dr. Clemens Prokop and vice-president Dagmar Freitag after Berlin was awarded the 2018 European Athletics Championships

Berlin 2018 will be the third time the European Championships has been staged in Germany after Stuttgart 1986 and Munich 2002.

"We guarantee the 2018 European Athletics Championships will be organised at the highest technical level and with excellent conditions for the athletes," said German Athletics Federation (DLV) President Clemens Prokop.

"For German athletics, it is important that we have in 2014 the European Athletics Team Championships in Braunschweig, another major international event in Germany, to be now followed by the 2018 European Athletics Championships."

Zurich is due to host the 2014 European Championships and Amsterdam 2016.

European Athletics also awarded the 2015 European Cross Country Championships to the French commune of Paray-le-Monial, which is located in Burgundy.

Like Berlin, they were the only bidders for the event.

"We are pleased to confirm that Paray-le-Monial will be the hosts of the European Cross Country Championships in 2015," said Wirz.

"They have impressed us today with an excellent presentation and we are sure that Paray-le-Monial 2015 will be a great event."

It will be the first time that France will host the event, which will be the 22nd edition.

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