Raising the bar in athletics

A new dimension will be unveiled in athletics when Global Sports Communications (GSC) presents the NN Running Team in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam, The Netherlands, today.

The NN Running Team brings together top athletes in the world that includes Olympic champion Eliud Kipchoge and Ethiopia's world champion and Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele, who are just two of the 60 athletes who are members of the NN Running Team.

Others include two-time world marathon champion Abel Kirui, 2012 Olympic and 2013 world marathon champion Stephen Kiprotich of Uganda and Ethiopia's New York Marathon winner, Ghirmay Ghebrsessie.

The athletes, who are supported by a team of professionals and kitted by American-sports apparel Nike, will appear at some 150 competitions all over the world and further professionalise and innovate the sport.

"Investments by sponsors offer the team the possibility of professionalising coaching, facilities, medical support, competition, equipment, scientific innovation, marketing and communication," said Global Sports Communications Director Jos Hermens.

"Basically, elements of this revolutionary in athletes is centred on professionalising the sport, innovation, bringing the heroes closer to fans and teamwork," he said.

The move comes as Kipchoge, the two-time London Marathon winner, prepares to attack the historic under two-hour marathon attempt set for Formula One circuit in Monza in Italy in few months.

"Athletics is an individual sport, but working together, sharing knowledge and experience is very important for individual results of athletes.

"The greatest runners in the world can help their team members and talented youngsters from Africa and Europe advance to the next level. Only teamwork can provide best support for athletes and produce the next generation of world class athletes," said Hermens, a former track world record holder.

He said team spirit yielded impressive results in 2016 as team members won London, New York, Berlin, Chicago, Mumbai, Dubai and the Olympic Games.

"Marathons are primarily focused on finish times; the introduction of teams creates a new dimension. If multiple teams are introduced over a long time, competitions take this into account, possibly introducing new elements, as we have all seen in sports," he said.

As an Olympic distance runner, Hermens added; "We need to save our athletes from inadequate medical attention."