The event, hosted by Alfa Romeo, the official car supplier to UK Athletics, was attended by reigning triple jump world champion Phillips Idowu, 2004 Olympic heptathlon bronze medallist Kelly Sotherton and European long jump bronze medallist Chris Tomlinson.

Jason Gardener, a member of Britain's 4x100 metres relay team that won the Olympic gold medal in Athens in 2004, also attended the launch.

The eye-catching Alfa MiTo Sprint is the latest addition to Alfa's sporty compact car range and was inspired by the marque's ongoing relationship with UK Athletics, designers claim.

Having supported UK Athletics since 2006, the partnership includes supplying a fleet of vehicles to UKA coaches, staff and athletes, as well as a financial contribution towards the UKA programme.

Idowu, who will embark on his 2011 season at the Aviva Grand Prix in Birmingham on February 19, said: "The World Championships in Korea is my ultimate focus for this year.

"I will be looking for a good start to the season in Birmingham later this month, where I will be competing in front of my home crowd.

"Alfa have done a lot to support UK Athletics and it's great to be here today - I particularly like the red MiTo Sprint."

Sotherton, who will compete in the 400m at the Aviva Indoor UK Trials and Championships in Sheffield on February 12-13, will also be looking for a strong start to the 2011 season.



She said: "It's been a real challenge to break away from heptathlon and focus solely on one discipline, but I'm really enjoying it and have been training hard in South Africa over the winter.

"Being a good sprinter is a lot like being a finely tuned car - performance is based on knowing what to put in and how to get the most out of your engine."

Tomlinson, meanwhile,, will be looking to build this year on his European bronze medal success in Barcelona last year.

He said: "Sprinting forms the core of so many athletic disciplines, it's been great to be part of today's Alfa MiTo Sprint launch.

"This season is a crucial year for many athletes who have their sights set on London 2012.

"My key aim for this season is to medal at the World Championships."

Damien Dally, Head of Brand for Alfa Romeo UK said: "We are delighted to extend our partnership with UKA and we're particularly pleased that so many of our Alfa ambassadors could join us for today's launch.

"Performance, passion and pride remain at the heart of the Alfa Romeo brand, and these qualities are reflected by the Special Edition Alfa MiTo Sprint and the athletes who represent us.

"We wish all the athletes every success for the 2011 season and look forward to following their progress."


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