After his backing from, and nominated by, UK Athletics, Lord Sebastian Coe is now the new IAAF President at the global governing body’s Congress in Beijing. The 1980 and 1984 Olympic 1500m champion defeated Ukrainian pole vault legend Sergey Bubka by 115 votes to 92. Coe’s election was part of a clean sweep for candidates nominated by UK Athletics at the Congress, with all five British candidates being elected to various positions. Paula Radcliffe was elected to the IAAF Cross County Committee, Kelly Sotherton was elected to the IAAF Women’s Committee, Keith Davies won a place on the IAAF Technical Committee and Peter Marlow retained his position on the IAAF Race Walking Committee.
Following the announcement of his election, Coe said: “I am deeply honoured that our sport has placed its trust in me. There is no job I want to do more – nor with greater commitment.
He tweeted shortly after the result was announced: "Delighted and humbled by the confidence shown in me by the IAAF family - thank you, now the hard work begins”.
The former London 2012 Chair succeeds Senegal’s Lamine Diack, who has led the organisation for the past 16 years. Coe will serve an initial term of four years as President starting on August 31 2015, following the conclusion of the Championships taking place at the Bird’s Nest Stadium.
Marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe was elected to the Cross Country Committee for the first time whilst world and Olympic heptathlon medallist Kelly Sotherton was also successful on being elected for the first time and she will take a place on the Women’s Committee.
Sotherton said: “I feel over the moon to have been voted onto my first international committee. My next step is to ensure that I use this opportunity to make a real difference.”
Keith Davies, one of Great Britain’s most experienced technical officials, will take up a role on the Technical Committee and Peter Marlow said he was ‘humbled’ to be elected to the Race Walking Committee for a tenth time.
