They're ours, ours, all ours!

To secure the 2001 World Track and Field Championships, the Edmonton bid committee relied on three former University of Alberta athletic directors to lobby, consult and ultimately thrust another feather in the civic and campus cap.

Ed Zemrau, Dr. Bob Steadward and Dale Schulha were instrumental among the 27-member Edmonton group in securing the championships for Edmonton, presenting an air-tight plan to the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) in Monte Carlo.

The championships will follow the 1978 Commonwealth Games and the World University Games of 1983 as a showcase for Edmonton and the University of Alberta and will attract some 3,000 athletes and 5,000 media from 290 countries between August 3 and 12, 2001.

The IAAF vote was a convincing 22-2. Canada was in a bid-pool with Paris and Stanford University. A delegation from New Delhi was scheduled to present, but did not.

Steadward, the director of the Rick Hansen Centre and a man with 30 years involvement in international sport, was bid co-chair, and spoke glowingly of legacy potential due to the IAAF’s blessing.

"Now we’ve got an opportunity to develop some incredible facilities for our future university athletes. I’ve always been extremely motivated to do whatever I can, first of all, to improve the image and status and profile of our university, to increase and improve our facilities so our athletes can always be proud to train in the best environment possible."

It is expected the University of Alberta will benefit with a new track and field/multi-use practice facility, which will be a second practice track during the games, plus new student residences.

The economic benefit of the games is pegged at $286 million dollars for Edmonton alone.

The city’s third international home run was no long shot. The Edmonton delegation, which included representatives from the three levels of government, presented a proposal that received IAAF approval after a deliberation period of just seven minutes.

"There is a lot of smoke and screens that go up around a lot of presentations around the world. And we just got right to the quick. We didn’t sugarcoat it. I’ve never seen a group of people who virtually gave us a standing applause when we left—they were so impressed with our presentation."

Steadward suggested it was no contest. "We have a reputation of filling a stadium, and hosting events. Who could agree to host a Grey Cup and pull it off in less than a year? Who could sell out a World Figure Skating Championship in two days a year-and-half before the event? I could go on and on. The Universiade Games in 1983 were the best in the history of the university games, before and since our games. And so I think people recognize that."

"A lot of people on campus probably don’t realize the magnitude of this announcement," said Dale Schulha, the director of development and alumni, physical education and recreation. He made his first trip as a bid-pitcher but has played a hands-on role since the Edmonton group began lobbying for the 2001 games in Athens three years ago. Schulha’s sentiment was also steeped in this school. "I feel like I’ve been a part of getting something back, something our programs really deserve."

The World Track and Field Championships is the globe’s third largest international event, next to the Summer Olympics and World Cup of Soccer.

"There is a big pay-off for the city and a big pay-off for the U of A," said Edmonton city councillor Wendy Kinsella, also part of the Edmonton delegation. "They had never seen anyone take it so seriously in the history of this board. They have never seen such committed support from all three levels of government. We’re going to be relying on the U of A to make these games happen."

The Edmonton group spoke from a restaurant in Monte Carlo seven hours after the announcement via cell phone. They were bubbly. "Once we got through the champagne and once we got through the wine, then we had some three different kinds of pasta, some turbot fish, and some shark and some swordfish, so we are in a great celebratory mood here. We’ll make sure Monaco doesn’t forget us," Steadward said.

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