Organisers mark milestone by unveiling the design of the world championships medals, which pay homage to the Qatari capital

The medals for which thousands of athletes will compete have been revealed with exactly one month to go until the IAAF World Championships in Doha.

Paying homage to the Qatari capital, the gold, silver and bronze medals were designed by an all-female team and showcase the Doha skyline, which will be the backdrop of the marathon and race walk events. There are also illustrations of the iconic Khalifa International Stadium, which will host the championships as the event heads to the Middle East for the first time, with 13 different elements of athletics disciplines also weaved into the design.

More than 2000 of the world’s top athletes will be competing for the 192 medals on offer across 49 finals during the 10-day competition, which gets under way on Friday September 27.

“A medal is the symbol of excellence in our sport,” said IAAF president Sebastian Coe.

“It represents all the years of sweat, striving and persistence required to succeed in athletics at the highest level, so the design of the medals must be as special as the achievement in winning them.

“Our local organising committee in Doha has done a brilliant job in creating medals that our athletes will be proud to receive as a permanent keepsake of their moment of glory. I’d like to have one myself, so I may have to come out of retirement.”

Speaking on the final preparations and medals for the championships, Sheikha Asma Al Thani, director of marketing and communications for the local organising committee, said: “Having designs on the medals which showcase Qatar is a special occasion for the country, as so many people throughout Doha have played a vital role in delivering the competition.

“A gold medal will naturally take pride of place in an athlete’s collection and they will be reminded of the competition being held in the Middle East forever.

“The whole of Qatar is excited to welcome the world’s best athletes and we look forward to celebrating the successes of all those competing and those iconic moments at the finish lines and on the podiums.”

The first medals will be won just hours after the championships begin on day one, with the midnight marathon taking place along Doha’s Corniche.

The marathon and race walk events are free to attend, while tickets to track and field action at the Khalifa International Stadium are available at iaafworldathleticschamps.com/doha2019

Tickets will also give spectators access to the World Athletics Village outside the stadium where a whole host of international cuisines will be available to celebrate the global event, along with live entertainment and competitions.