25th Faroese Athletics Championships

Machine-translated from Faroese and not yet reviewed. Read the original.

On Saturday and Sunday 2 and 3 August, the Faroese Athletics Championships will be held for the 25th time. The track in Toftir was ready for the Island Games in 1989, and later that summer a so-called trial championships was held. This went so well that the following year the people of Toftir, together with Bragdið, organised the first official athletics championships. In those first years participation was quite high, and nearly every event was contested. The competition was then held over two consecutive Saturdays. It was new and exciting, and footballers, volleyball players and rowers all took part.

The best sprinters the Faroe Islands have ever had. Heini Hátún (left) holds the Faroese records at 100 m, 200 m and 400 m. He took the 100 m record from Ási Mikkelsen (right), who still holds the Faroese long jump record. As well as being fast, Heini was also very strong. He holds the Faroese shot put record. (photo from the 2001 Faroese Championships)

Later the number of participants fell, and it was decided to hold only selected events so that the whole Championships could be completed on one Saturday. This format was used right up until the Tórsbreyt track arrived. Then Sunday was gradually added, first with two throwing events and then more and more events. For the last three years we have had what you might call a full Championships. Pole vault is the only event not on the programme, because the equipment is not available.

A photo from 2010, but these lads are surely aiming for medals at the 2014 Faroese Championships. From left: Rói Holgarsson, Trygvi Laksafoss, Øssur D. Eiriksfoss and Rúni Seloy.

There are always plenty of great, exciting sprints at the Faroese Championships. Here, from left: Carl Rasmussen, Daniel Djurhuus Rein and Hans Jacobsen. (photo from the 2010 Faroese Championships)

As mentioned, the 2014 Championships will take place on Saturday and Sunday 2 and 3 August at Tórsbreyt. Both days start at 13:00 and continue until 16:00–17:00, depending on the number of participants. The Faroese Athletics Championships is an open competition in which anyone born in 1999 or earlier can take part. Registration is through the website and must be completed no later than Tuesday 29 July at 24:00. Each start costs DKK 30.

From the 1994 Faroese Championships, the first Saturday. It is impossible to say whether this is from the 1,500 m or the 10,000 m, because both races ended in exactly the same way. As the man said: the chair ought to be ahead of the treasurer.

 

Photos