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Bubka enters IAAF presidential race against Britain's Coe

Xinhua, January 28, 2015 Adjust font size:

Ukrainian pole vault legend Sergei Bubka said on Wednesday that he will challenge Britain's Sebastian Coe for the presidency of the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF).

The two men are the only candidates so far to succeed Lamine Diack, who is due to step down in August.

Diack, 81, has been president since succeeding Primo Nebiolo in 1999 but will retire this year and the vote for his successor will take place at the IAAF Congress in Beijing.

"I am seeking the IAAF presidency to give something back to the world of athletics which has given so many opportunities to me throughout my life," the 51-year-old Bubka said.

Bubka set 35 world pole vault records in a glittering career which brought him an Olympic gold and six consecutive world championships titles from 1983 to 1997. Endi