摘要：On May 11th, the two-day World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 concluded successfully at Tianhe Sports Center in Guangzhou. Sebastia

On May 11th, the two-day World Athletics Relays Guangzhou 25 concluded successfully at Tianhe Sports Center in Guangzhou. Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics, gave an exclusive interview to Yangcheng Evening News.

It was Sebastian Coe's first visit to Guangzhou. "Guangzhou has many futuristic skyscrapers and lush greenery, while also retaining a strong sense of history. My colleagues and I all agree that Guangzhou is a city of great cuisine. From the moment I began tasting the local dishes, I found them irresistible. Every dish left a deep impression on me—I love everything about this place."

At this year's World Athletics Relays, Guangzhou excelled in every aspect—from competition organization, venue support, and media operations to transportation security, volunteer services, sports presentation, and athlete services. Sebastian Coe was not surprised by the city's meticulous efforts:

"This is a city that truly understands the importance of sports. The Guangzhou organizing committee has done an outstanding and flawless job. They have a well-established organization in place, and the leadership in Guangzhou clearly grasps the true value and meaning of sports. That's the main reason I came here. I'm delighted and thoroughly enjoyed the experience." What touched Sebastian Coe most was the athletic atmosphere in Guangzhou. Despite the uncooperative weather on the first day of competition, the pouring rain failed to dampen the enthusiasm of local spectators. "I saw a packed stadium. The fans were full of energy and cheered passionately for Team China. In my view, this was one of the most successful days for athletics in China," he said.

Since the beginning of this year, China has successfully hosted several major athletics events, including the World Athletics Relays Guangzhou, the Indoor Championships Nanjing, the Wanda Diamond League Xiamen meeting, and the Yangtze River Delta Athletics Diamond Gala. With Beijing set to host the 2027 World Athletics Championships, Sebastian Coe believes that the frequent staging of top-tier World Athletics events in China signals closer ties between World Athletics and the country, which already plays a vital role in global sports.

Explaining why China has become a key host, Sebastian Coe highlighted three keywords: event frequency, shared goals, and commercial value. "The frequent hosting of top World Athletics Series events has raised the profile of track and field in China. We and the Chinese Athletics Association share the goal of greatly promoting athletics. Among the most popular sports in China, we hope to move athletics from ninth to fifth by the 2027 World Athletics Championships in Beijing. The high quality of China's event operations and support services has also made it a favorite destination for athletes. And commercially, China is a market with enormous potential—hosting events in major Chinese cities is highly significant for a global sport."

Sebastian Coe expressed his full appreciation for the efforts of the Chinese Athletics Association. "I firmly believe that our close cooperation will not only benefit both parties, but more importantly, the athletes. The closer our partnership, the stronger our cohesion, and the better our events will become. This will greatly propel Chinese athletics to new heights, and everyone who loves the sport stands to gain."

Source: Lingnan On the Cloud

独家专访丨塞巴斯蒂安·科：广州是真正读懂体育重要性的城市

5月11日，为期两天的2025年世界田联接力赛在广州天河体育中心圆满落下帷幕，世界田联主席塞巴斯蒂安·科接受了羊城晚报记者的独家专访。

这是塞巴斯蒂安·科第一次来到广州，“广州拥有很多颇具未来感的摩天大楼，绿树成荫，同时历史氛围浓厚。我和我的同事一致认为广州是一座美食之都，当我真正品尝这些佳肴时，我无法拒绝所有美食，我对每一道菜都印象深刻，我喜欢这里的一切。”

本次世界田联接力赛，广州在竞赛组织、场地保障、媒体运行、交通安保、志愿服务、体育展示和参赛运动员的服务保障等环节做到极致。塞巴斯蒂安·科对广州所做的一切并不感到吃惊：

“这是一座真正读懂体育重要性的城市，组委会的工作可圈可点、无可挑剔，他们拥有完善的组织，广州的领导层也深谙体育的真正价值和内涵，这是我来到这里的主要原因，我很高兴，也很享受其中。”让塞巴斯蒂安·科最为动容的是广州的田径气氛，首个比赛日尽管天公不作美，但广州的雨水天气丝毫没有浇灭广州市民的热情，“我看到现场上座率非常高，他们始终充满激情，不遗余力地为中国队加油助威，在我看来这是中国田径最为成功的一天。”

今年以来，中国已成功举办广州世界田联接力赛、南京室内锦标赛、厦门钻石联赛和长三角钻石联赛，2027年北京也将迎来田径世锦赛的盛况，塞巴斯蒂安·科认为世界田联的顶尖赛事在中国密集办赛，意味着世界田联与中国的关系更为紧密，中国早已在世界体育中占据着举足轻重的位置。

归结原因，塞巴斯蒂安·科提到办赛数量、目标和商业价值三个关键词，“世界田联顶级赛事在中国频繁举办，提升了田径运动在中国的知名度。我们与中国田径协会一致达成大力推广田径运动的目标，在中国最受欢迎的运动中，希望在2027年北京世锦赛前，田径运动从第9位提升至第5位。中国高质量的办赛水平和服务保障，也让运动员都很喜欢来到中国参赛。最后则是商业价值，中国是潜力巨大的市场，在中国主要城市办赛，对于一项全球性运动来说意义重大。”

塞巴斯蒂安·科充分肯定了中国田径协会为这项运动所做的一切，“我坚信我们的密切合作，不仅能为双方带来收益，更能让运动员受益，因为我们合作得越紧密，凝聚力就越强，赛事也会办得越来越好。这将有力推动中国田径的发展，每一个热爱田径的人都将是受益者。”

文丨记者 柴智 苏荇 郝浩宇 龙希

图丨记者 王子桐 钟振彬

翻译丨曾敏

审校丨洪婷

来源：羊城派一点号