ISTAF Berlin

100 years of legendary athletics

Berlin and world-class sports – they literally go together. Therefore, it is not surprising that the worlds oldest athletics meeting has its origins exactly here: The ISTAF Berlin. Back in 1921, sports clubs based here organized a national competition between German and international athletes, the birth of the “International Stadium Festival”. During the almost one hundred year history of the meeting, 79 editions have already taken place.

Just like at the ISTAF Indoor, Potsdamer Feuerwerk provides the special effects at all competitions as well as at the prize-giving ceremony. Our flame projectors are in continuous use when the top athletes are chasing records in the Berlin Olympic Stadium. Starting with the athletes’ presentation, all participants run through our flame tunnel before they head off to their disciplines. Afterwards, short flame sequences will create a great atmosphere at the finish line, indicate best performances in the high jump and pole vault, and highlight the water obstacle for both runners and spectators.
In Discus and Javelin Throw as well as the Shot Put, we reward best performances with special pyrotechnic effects and draw the attention of the 40,500 fans in the stadium to the infield. Every year, around 1.95 million viewers also watch the live ZDF broadcast in front of their TV screens. In addition, the athletics meeting can be seen in over 100 countries worldwide – including the USA, South Africa, Japan, New Zealand and Jamaica.

After more than 4 hours of top class sports, the best athletes of the ISTAF Berlin will be crowned at the official ceremony. Here our MagicFX Super Blaster XL are used and let golden confetti rain down over the winner’s podium.

Safety is our top priority not only for all our effects, but also for the event’s organization. Despite the omnipresent Corona pandemic, the ISTAF 2020 took place under the highest safety precautions. It was therefore one of the first major sporting events which was permitted to take place with an audience despite Corona restrictions. As a result, 3,500 spectators were able to attend the meeting live in Berlin’s Olympic Stadium. It was a small but welcome step back to normality for all athletes, organizers, spectators and of course for our team.

ISTAF Berlin
ISTAF Berlin
ISTAF Berlin

“The ISTAF Berlin has become an outstanding success in its 100-year history. Every year the stars of athletics come together in Berlin and celebrate this unique event format with us. This requires not only meticulous planning in advance, but above all partners you can trust blindly. With Potsdamer Feuerwerk, we’re having such a trustful partnership since our first cooperation within the ISTAF Berlin 1999 in the Olympic Stadium. Together we develop ideas to highlight the individual disciplines for both spectators and athletes. Thanks to the special effects and pyrotechnics, we can set spot-on accents during top sporting performances and at the same time deliver impressive press and TV shots.”

Martin Seeber, CEO of TOP Sportmarketing Berlin GmbH

Production: Potsdamer Feuerwerk Vertriebs GmbH
By order of: TOP Sportmarketing Berlin GmbH
Project Management: Martin Kudyba
Photos: ISTAF / Camera4

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