By Xinhua
Valencia (Spain) : As many as 21 world champions are taking part in the 12th Indoor World Athletics Championships, which started here Friday.
Among them, 14 athletes have won the gold medals at the last Indoor World Championships in Moscow in 2006 and 11 collected the gold at the outdoor events in Osaka last summer, according to the organizers.
There are four athletes who won gold both in Moscow and Osaka — Ethiopia’s Meseret Defar in 3,000 meters, American shot putter Reese Hoffa and two pole vaulters, America’s Brad Walker and Russia’s Yelena Isinbayeva.
Seven other gold winners of the Japanese championship will try to repeat their victories in the Palau Velodromo Luis Puig stadium, including China’s Liu Xiang in 60 meter s hurdles, Portugal’s Nelson Evora in triple jump.
In all, 646 athletes from 157 countries/regions have reached the Spanish seaport city to compete in 26 sports in the three-day event.