MONTE CARLO, Monaco, July 18 AP - A new expandedend-of-season track and field competition will be heldin Monte Carlo two weeks after the world championships,the International Association of Athletic Federationssaid today.
IAAF general secretary Istvan Gyulai said the firstever World Athletics Final would be held at Monaco’sStade Louis II on Sept 13-14.
The event replaces the Grand Prix Final, a one-daymeet which had been running since 1985. The 12 bestathletes in each discipline could compete, with theevents changing each year. The Paris edition in 2002 had18 events.
Gyulai said the new format would be more inclusive,with 33 disciplines except marathon, walks and combinedevents.
The world championships were scheduled for Paris fromAug 23-31.
Gyulai said athletes ranked in the top seven positions- or top 11 for races over 1,500 metres - as of Sept 7 couldqualify. The IAAF would also offer one wild card perevent for a maximum of five events.