Finally, World Meet Is The Finale: Coe

He says athletes and coaches welcome the move to end their season on a 'crescendo'

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TOKYO - World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said he has received overwhelming support from athletes and coaches for the decision to make the World Athletics Championships, which begin in Tokyo on Sept 13, the "crescendo" of the sport's season.

Other than Doha in 2019 for heat-avoidance reasons, the world championships and Olympics have invariably been followed by the finale of the Diamond League.

That meant athletes were coming off what could be the biggest event of their lives, only to immediately start preparing to compete again a week or so later.

"I think that not only is this something the athletes are overwhelmingly supportive of, I think it makes sense," Coe said at the meet's press conference on Sept 12.

"We did consult widely with all our stakeholders and I think we settled on the right format."

Coe said that the sport recognised the anomaly of its major global event not being the finale.

"I think they (the fans) were confused about a season that seemed to have its crescendo in a world championships or an Olympic Games... then we were in Zurich or Brussels or wherever a few days later and they couldn't really relate to what that meant," he said.