By Gene Cherry
EUGENE, Oregon (Reuters) – Oregon’s new athletics stadium, due to host of the 2022 world championships, will be the venue for the 2023 Diamond League final, making it the first time the meeting has been held outside Europe, the league’s top official told Reuters on Tuesday.
“We are very pleased to have the final in Eugene, Tracktown USA in the year after the world athletics championships at the iconic and new Hayward Field arena,” Petr Stastny, chief executive officer of the Diamond League, said in an email.
The $270 million stadium on the campus of the University of Oregon opened this year and is currently hosting the U.S. Olympic trials.
The Diamond League final is the climax of the 14-meeting global series and attracts the world’s top athletes.
Usually held in Zurich or Brussels, it will begin rotating among other Diamond League cities after Eugene, Stastny said.
“It will rotate annually as we intend to give more member meetings of the Wanda Diamond League the opportunity to host the final,” he added.
This year’s final will be held in Zurich on Sept. 8-9.
(Reporting by Gene Cherry in Eugene, editing by Ed Osmond)