No less than three World Record attempts are the main attraction of the meeting in Brussels next Friday. Some of the World’s best male and female athletes have set their sights on the One Hour World Record and in the 1000m Women the World Record that has been set in Brussels 24 years ago is also under threat.
The world class athletes who are taking on these challenges (Mo Farah, Bashir Abdi, Sifan Hassan and Brigid Kosgei in the One Hour Race and Faith Kipyegon in the 1000m) will be supported by some pacemakers, as it is always the case. But there will also be a digital pacemaker : the so called Wavelight is a moving light signal on the inside of the track that indicates the pace that the athletes have to follow in order to break the World Record.
Technology creates virtual stadium crowd
In spite of spectators being absent, there will also be a huge vocal support ! The AG Memorial Van Damme collaborates with an Australian sound company that uses technology to construct the noisy athmosphere of a capacity crowd in the King Baudouin Stadium. Registered noise and sounds of previous editions will be mixed and played out in the empty stadium, according to the action that is taking place. While the One Hour Race is progressing and reaching the finish the virtual crowd will always sound louder. And in the High Jump and the Pole Vault the virtual spectators will be clapping in their hands. That should be a benefit for both the athletes and the spectators who follow the action on television or on other screens.
The meeting is held behind closed doors but the entire world will still be watching on September, 4th. The AG Memorial Van Damme can be followed in over 180 different countries, live or in a summary. Europe, the USA, the Caribbean, … from all over the World there will be interest for this event. The digital channels of the Wanda Diamond League (YouTube, Facebook) will spread the action all over the planet.
