Asian greats feature in World Athletics’ new 3D virtual sports museum

China’s Liu Xiang in action. © Getty Images
China’s Liu Xiang in action. © Getty Images

Monaco, March 15, 2021: World Athletics announced the launch of a 3D virtual museum of athletics on Monday, March 15, bringing a new level of innovation and creative technologies to the world of sport.

Known as MOWA, the Museum of World Athletics™ is the first sports museum to be established solely in the digital world.

It offers visitors an interactive journey through the history of athletics and the sport’s flagship World Athletics Championships, highlighting many of the legends of the sport.

The museum gives visitors a unique online experience, profiling key athletics champions from each continent and celebrating each edition of the World Athletics Championships through realistic interactive content, including items donated by the athletes which help to tell the story of the sport.

Three athletes from Asia are featured in the first stage of the museum: 

*Liu Xiang of China - the Olympic champion at Athens 2004 in the men’s 110m hurdles, 2007 world champion at Osaka and three-time Asian Games champion from 2002-2010

*Wang Hao of China - the 2009 world champion in 20km race walk

*Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar - the 2017 and 2019 world high jump champion, Olympic silver medallist at Rio 2016 and bronze medallist at London 2012.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe said: “We are delighted to be the first international sport federation to bring a 3D virtual sports museum to a global audience.

“Through MOWA, sport and museums fans from around the world will, without the geographical limitations of a physical location, be able to discover the fascinating history of athletics, and the amazing achievements of our athletes. 

“It is particularly exciting to launch this project at a time when the pandemic has limited the ability of fans to attend sporting events or visit museums in person.”

See: www.worldathletics.org/mowa