Toyota Supports The Spirit Of The IAAF World Championships In Athletics

Toyota to Be Official Partner to 10th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Helsinki, Finland & 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics, Osaka, Japan

Tokyo, Japan – TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announced today its continued support of the ideals and spirit embodied in the sport of athletics through its becoming official partner to both the 10th IAAF World Championships in Athletics in 2005 and 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics in 2007.

On top of the official partnership agreement, Toyota is also supporting a program to encourage new world records in women’s events through its also becoming the official women’s bib sponsor.

The 10th IAAF World Championships in Athletics will be held from Aug. 6-14, 2005, in Helsinki, Finland. The 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics are scheduled to take place from Aug. 24-Sept. 2, 2007 in Osaka, Japan.

Toyota’s involvement with the IAAF—the world governing body of the sport of athletics—began at the 9th IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Paris, France in 2003. In its role as official partner, the company supported the infrastructure for the championships by providing a fleet of 200 cars for transporting athletes, coaches, VIPs and officials to and from the various competition, hospitality and housing venues around Paris.

The second-generation Toyota Prius—the world’s leading hybrid passenger car combining a powerful low-emissions petrol engine with zero pollution electric motor—was also supplied as the natural choice to lead the world’s best long-distance runners in the men’s and women’s marathon events.

In 2005 and in 2007, the Company will continue to contribute to the success of each event through providing transport solutions. In addition to being responsible for the official cars, Toyota will also have the opportunity to put its company name and logo on the bibs worn by athletes in all of the women’s events and to exercise its marketing rights through use of the official designations and marks.

Toyota and its philosophy of contributing to humanity through its corporate and business activities shares and embraces the values of sports and their ability to touch the heart of everyone.

More about the World Championships in Athletics

The first World Championships in Athletics was held in Helsinki, Finland in 1983. The competition was initially held once every four years, the year preceding the Olympic Games. However, ever since the 4th World Championships held in Stuttgart in 1993, following the 1991 Tokyo Championships, the event has been held every two years, preceding or following the Olympic Games.

• 1983 – 1st World Championships – Helsinki, Finland
• 1987 – 2nd World Championships – Rome, Italy
• 1991 – 3rd World Championships – Tokyo, Japan
• 1993 – 4th World Championships – Stuttgart, Germany
• 1995 – 5th World Championships – Gothenburg, Sweden
• 1997 – 6th World Championships – Athens, Greece
• 1999 – 7th World Championships – Seville, Spain
• 2001 – 8th World Championships – Edmonton, Canada
• 2003 – 9th World Championships – Paris, France
• 2005 – 10th World Championships – Helsinki, Finland
• 2007 – 11th World Championships – Osaka, Japan

ENDS