MINSK, 24 April (BelTA) – Athletics teams that will compete for medals at the 2nd European Games in Minsk have been named, BelTA learned from the press service of the Minsk European Games Organizing Committee (MEGOC).
Taking part in the competitions at the Dinamo National Olympic Stadium will be teams from 24 countries: Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Spain, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia (athletes who were cleared to compete by the International Association of Athletics Federations), Slovenia, Switzerland, Slovakia, Turkey, and Ukraine. The total number of athletes is 504.
Athletics competitions of the 2nd European Games will be held in a new format – Dynamic New Athletics – DNA. The European Athletic Association has approved changes to the competition program to hold nine types of events (individual and relay) in which medals will be handed out. A 10th, additional set of medals will be awarded based on the overall result in the team competition.
The DNA format envisages holding competitions between mixed participating teams, where all teams will be divided into groups, starting with the qualifying round. Teams will compete in the following nine disciplines:
1. 100m women
2. 100m men
3. 100m Hurdles women
4. 110m Hurdles men
5. Javelin Throw women
6. Long Jump women
7. High Jump men
8. 4 x 400m - Mixed Relay (2 women & 2 men)
9. The Hunt - Mixed Medley Relay (2 women & 2 men)
The winners and medalists of the individual disciplines and relay races will be determined based on the results of the first competition day (23 June) during the team qualifying round. Medal ceremonies for the best individual athletes in the nine disciplines will be held on 24 June.
The team quarterfinals will be held on 25 June, with the semifinals to take place on 26 June. The final will determine the winners of the last set of medals, to be handed out on 28 June.
The format of the team competition and how points are accumulated remains the same. The athletes who are the strongest in the individual disciplines will earn 12 points for their team. The runners-up will earn 10 points (and so forth, with each following place getting two points fewer).
After the athletics program was confirmed with one more set of medals added, the number of total medals to be awarded at the 2nd European Games has increased to 200, with around 4,000 athletes expected to take part in the multi-sports event.
