The inaugural ‘gold’ series will feature 10 events

World Athletics (IAAF) has released further information on its 2020 Continental Tour, billed as a series of the world’s best one-day meetings outside of the Diamond League.

Earlier this month the sport’s global governing body announced the controversial decision to cut the 200m, 3000m steeplechase, triple jump and discus for both men and women from next year’s Diamond League.

For the 2020 season, the Continental Tour gold meeting core disciplines will be the 200m, 3000m steeplechase, triple jump, discus throw and hammer throw, with the same level of world ranking points as the Diamond League set to be available.

A total prize money purse of at least US$ 200,000 will be offered for each gold level meeting.

Wildcard entry to the Oregon 2021 World Championships will also be on offer for the core disciplines.

The ‘gold’ level is one of three which will feature in the Continental Tour, alongside ‘silver’ and ‘bronze’, with each meeting’s status to be determined by the quality of competition and prize money on offer.

The meetings in the 2020 Continental Tour gold level calendar will take place in Tokyo, Nanjing, Ostrava, Hengelo, Turku, Kingston, Szekesfehervar, Silesia and Zagreb, with one more to be confirmed.

“We are kick starting our campaign to build more quality one-day meetings around the world with the new Continental Tour, which will give more athletes more opportunities to compete across all disciplines, to earn prize money and world rankings points and to build their profiles,” said World Athletics president Sebastian Coe.

“Between the Diamond League and the Continental Tour all disciplines will be catered for and many more athletes will have access to top-class competition. Those that have not been included in the Diamond League final next year, will be core disciplines on the Continental Tour.”

2020 World Athletics Continental Tour gold level calendar

May 10 – Tokyo, JPN
May 13 – Nanjing, CHN
May 22 – Ostrava, CZE
Jun 1 – Hengelo, NED
Jun 9 – Turku, FIN
Jun 13 – Kingston, JAM
Jul 7 – Szekesfehervar, HUN
Sep 6 – Silesia, POL
Sep 15 – Zagreb, CRO
*Tenth meeting to be confirmed