Athletes, guests and sports friends,

It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the sixth Zagreb IAAF Grand Prix, an athletics spectacle, which gathers many world's athletics stars and provides exceptional pleasure for the citizens of Zagreb, television audiences throughout Croatia, and – through Eurosport – also around the world.

We are continuing in the 58-year long tradition of the athletics meetings in a city of a rich sports history at a high level. The popular „Hanzek“, as we call the Meeting, became an EAA meeting in 1999. A year later, at its 50th anniversary, it received the Grand Prix II status, and it became the great Zagreb Grand Prix in 2003. We are proud that we have been raising its rating, keeping up with the world's major centres of athletics.

This year's Meeting has a special Olympic touch. It is being held only 16 days after the end of the Beijing Olympics, and it will include Olympic medallists and Champions.

I wish the competitors many memorable moments at the stadium and outside of it, the spectators a new sporting delight, and all guests a pleasant stay in our city.

Velimir Basic
Secretary General of the Zagreb Sports Association
Meeting Director