12th IAAF World Track & Field Championships Berlin, Germany August 15 - 23rd, 2009 John Nepolitan on site
Day 2 - A look at the stadium and the Olympic Park grounds
The plan going into today was to go to the stadium then head back out on the town to play tourist some more, but sometimes plans just don’t work out that way. We ended up getting a late start then stayed at the stadium longer than planned so tourist stuff will wait till tomorrow (Friday). I do have to go to the stadium for 1 or 2 things, but most of the day will be out and about looking around.
The stadium is amazing! It is the same stadium used for the 1936 Olympics, the same Games made famous by Jesse Owens. The basic outside is the same as it was in ’36, but the inside was updated for the World Cup a few years back and at the same time they did work on the track. There is just so much history out at the Olympic Park area – most of the venues used in the 1936 Games are still there and used today. The pool is now a public pool and there is also a large amphitheater which is still used today for concerts. The area was pretty much left alone during the bombing of Berlin in World War II. The only real damage was that one of the clock towers that stand at one end of the stadium was blown up by the British in 1947 since it had been damaged in the battle for the city. The tower was re-built so that the stadium pretty much looks like it did in 1936.
A meet this big and important cannot be done without a chance to have a dry run, so today there was a small Germany – Switzerland – Poland – Austria junior meet at the stadium. It was run as if it were the world meet with award ceremonies and national anthems being played and all. There is a lot of show to a World Champs and this was a dress rehearsal.
Tomorrow more of a tourist day and a few bits of history of the city then Saturday the action starts.
