Lausanne celebrated athletics and movement in Ouchy. Launched on Saturday 15 August, Athletissima’s Track Festival was a huge hit with the public. Nearly 5,000 people took part in the more than 15 free activities offered to people from across the region.
More than 1,000 participants completed the “Challenge”, a 150-metre course along the lakeside. People of all ages took part, including families and around fifteen school classes from the canton of Vaud. Several elite athletes also joined in, among them pole vaulters Sam Kendricks and Kurtis Marschall, embracing the festival’s goal of encouraging everyone to get active in a fun and welcoming atmosphere. Participants also had the chance to test their reaction time using professional starting blocks and compare their results with those of world champion hurdler Ditaji Kambundji.
Kambundji was one of around 15 international athletes who took part in activities with young people. One of the highlights was the Kids Training, where 200 children gathered at the Stade Olympique de la Pontaise to try a range of athletics disciplines under the guidance of Swiss and international stars, including Angelica Moser, Jason Joseph, and American sprint hurdler Alaysha Johnson.
“We’re fortunate to have a meeting of this calibre in Lausanne, and the idea is to give the local community—and especially young people—the opportunity to experience Athletissima in a different way,” said Julien Carrel in an interview with RTS.
Before enjoying the free City Event featuring the world’s best pole vaulters, including Mondo Duplantis, dozens of children had the opportunity to meet three of Switzerland’s biggest athletics stars—Audrey Werro, Ditaji Kambundji, and Ajla Del Ponte—during the eagerly anticipated “Meet the Stars” session.
Watch the full report from RTS’s 12h45 news programme: https://www.rts.ch/play/tv/12h45/video/12h45?urn=urn:rts:video:5b1ee561-31cd-3b83-8325-6edcf07e9b09
