UK Athletics has confirmed that athletics will return to the London Stadium for the first time in four years for the London Diamond League in July 2023.
The Diamond League is an annual series of elite track and field athletic competitions, comprising fourteen of the best invitational athletics meetings.
The London stadium, which is now best known for being the home stadium of Premier League club West Ham United, last hosted athletics with the 2019 edition of the Diamond League.
The Diamond League had been a regular fixture at the home of the London 2012 Olympics through the annual Anniversary Games meet, but the 2020 event was cancelled due to Covid-19, while meets in 2021 and 2022 were held outside of the English capital.
The news follows a week of sell-out crowds seen at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham watching the athletics in the Commonwealth Games, proof of the appetite among UK fans for the track and field events.
In addition to the action taking place on the Sunday, UK Athletics is also holding a festival of athletics to engage the local community, schools and clubs with a series of events from Thursday 20th to Sunday 23rd July.
Cherry Alexander, UKA’s Strategic Lead for Major Events said, “We are so excited to be returning to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park next year! The London Stadium holds such happy memories for us and seeing athletics return to this iconic venue is going to be fantastic for the best supporters in the world.
“It’s also great to once again be inviting youngsters from across London and the local community to participate in our Festival of Athletics. There is something for everyone to enjoy and take part in over the four days and we can’t wait to bring the sport back to the capital.”
Graham Gilmore, CEO of London Stadium, added, “We are absolutely delighted to welcome athletics back to the Stadium next summer, with the Diamond League sitting alongside our world-class calendar of events for 2023. In addition, the activities planned across the weekend of this prestigious meet will engage the whole community across Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, as we continue to deliver on the legacy of the 2012 Games.”
The event takes place in the lead-up to the World Athletics Championships in August 2023 in Budapest.
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