Aqua-Pura to sponsor UK Athletics Olympic build-up series

UK Athletics, the sport’s governing body, has signed up Aqua-Pura Mineral Water as the headline sponsor for a series of televised meetings leading up to this year’s Olympics and the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

It starts with the “Road to Sydney” series, incorporating three international meetings. These will be held at Loughborough and Bedford, and will climax in a field event “spectacular” at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, featuring live music and specialised lighting.

The series will cater for established stars and up-and-coming athletes, and has been designed to provide a new level of competition for British teams prior to the two major events.

As well as title sponsor, Aqua-Pura – part of the Well Well Well group – will become the official natural mineral water of UK Athletics and the Great Britain & Northern Ireland Athletics Team.

The deal has been negotiated by Fast Track, the sports marketing agency set up by former 400m hurdler Alan Pascoe after he sold his international business, API, to Octagon Worldwide.

Aqua-Pura joins a list of sponsors which includes CGU, Reebok, Seiko and Isostar.