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Technical Presentation for the IOC members in Lausanne

18.05.2011

By now I have been traveling around the world for more than one and a half year in order to promote the dream of many German sports fans to host the Olympic Winter Games 2018 in Bavaria. During that time I have done many things a lot: a lot of flying, a lot of sitting, a lot of emails, a lot of meetings with a lot of listening and a lot of explaining. But for one thing I haven't had enough time: exercising. That is why I am putting on my running shoes at 5:45 in the morning to go jogging. I am trying to free my mind and pump some oxygen into my brain to prepare for this important day. As an athlete I know how essential sportive activity can be in order to stay focussed and concentrated throughout such tense and long days.

Before getting on stage we have a team bonding moment and prepare ourselves one last time for what is by far the most important presentation on our journey. We are the first to present our concept today and entering the auditorium of the Olympic Museum makes a big impression on me: 89 IOC members are present and awaiting us expectantly. We are aware of how much is at stake here today and that we have to be ready for this moment. There is an extreme tension in the room but at the same time I also feel very proud to be a member of such an amazing team. I enjoy every moment of our presentation, every speech and every video. Following our presentation we answer questions of IOC members and then leave the auditorium very pleased and relieved.

During the coffee break I use the opportunity to talk with some of the IOC members and of course try to find out what they think. We receive a lot of praise and recognition for our presentation and I have the feeling that it has become a bit more difficult for many IOC members to decide who will be the hosting city for the Olympic Winter Games 2018 :-) To find out how they actually decide, we will have to wait until July 6th, the day of our final presentation in Durban in South Africa.

On the second photo you can see our team in the preparation room just before the presentation: Bernhard Schwank CEO of the Munich 2018 application, Magdalena Neuner, 2-time biathlon Olympic Champion, Dr.Thomas Bach, DOSB President and IOC Vice President, Ian Robertson, BMW's board of management, Christian Ude, Lord Mayor of Munich, Dr. Hans-Peter Friedrich, Germany's Federal Minister of the Interior, Claudia Bokel, IOC member and Vice President of the Athletes Commission, Walther Tröger, IOC honorary member.

www.sportsfeatures.com/olympicsnews/story/48681/munich-2018-witt-radiant-after-ioc-briefing-on-winter-games-bid-vision

www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx

www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,15088101,00.html

Copyright Katarina Witt