Chinese city Nanjing awarded IAAF 2020 World Indoor Championships

China's eastern city of Nanjing was awarded the 2020 World Indoor Championships at the two-day 212th IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) Council Meeting in Monte Carlo, Monaco on Sunday.

IAAF President Sebastian Coe announced the decision at the start of Sunday's press conference, meaning that China will host the World Indoor Championships for the first time.

Nanjing was awarded the 2020 World Indoor Championships, meaning that China will host the games for the first time. [Photo: qq.com]

Nanjing beat Serbia's Belgrade and Poland's Torun in the candidature. It will be another major tournament for the city after the Olympic Youth Games in 2014.

The bid team impressed the IAAF Council members in their presentations concerning the city's history, culture, economic and social development.

"We were impressed with all the bids, particularly the involvement of athletes in the presentations and the plans for permanent athletics legacy at elite and community level which was central to all three visions for 2020.

"I look forward to celebrating the very best of world athletics in 2020 in Nanjing. The hosting of these championships will assist the development of an already established and growing culture of athletics in the country," commented Coe.

As a member of the Nanjing bid team, China's world shot put champion Gong Lijiao expressed her expectation towards the tournament in less than three years.

"I even felt more nervous than on the court," she said, adding that now more joy has arrived for her than winning the match.

"I often train in Nanjing. As I said before, my target is the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020. Such top-level tournaments as World Indoor Championships will be good preparation for the Olympics," commented Gong.

As part of the bid plan, Nanjing is scheduled to finish construction of a new venue in 2019.

"Hopefully through the World Indoor Championships, more youth in China can participate in athletics," said Chen Gang, head of Jiangsu Sports Administration.

"All legacy from the Olympic Youth Games, including organizational structure and volunteer development, has laid a solid foundation for the bid this time," he added.

On Saturday, Polish port city of Gdynia was awarded the IAAF 2020 World Half Marathon Championships, while Belarus's Minsk became the host of the 2020 IAAF World Race Walking Team Championships.