Bergen will host the 2021 European Athletics U23 Championships following a decision by the European Athletics Council at its 154th meeting.
The Norwegian city was unanimously approved as host of the event on Monday (4) at the meeting in Glasgow that followed the weekend’s European Athletics Indoor Championships.
The European Athletics U23 Championships was first staged in Turku, Finland in 1997, replacing the European U23 Cup which was held in 1992 and 1994. The championships has been staged biennially since 1997 and it is designed to facilitate the often difficult transition from the U20 ranks to the senior stage.
President Svein Arne Hansen and CEO Christian Milz with Bergen city and Norway athletics federation representatives after signing the organiser agreement for the hosting of the 2021 European Athletics U23 Championships #yoursportforlife pic.twitter.com/aUyQu4voVM
— European Athletics (@EuroAthletics) March 4, 2019
Norway’s Karsten Warholm won gold in the 400m hurdles at the 2017 European U23 Championships less than a month before winning the IAAF World Championships in London while European 1500m and 5000m champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen will be eligible to compete in Bergen in 2021.
Bergen has hosted a number of major competitions over the years including the 2010 European Athletics Team Championships Super League. The championships will take place at the Fana Stadium which was built in 1969 and has a capacity of 15,000.