Starmer backs bid to bring 2029 World Athletics Championships to London
On Saturday, with London set to host a sold-out Diamond League event, Sir Keir confirmed he would support a bid for the championships and World Para Athletics Championships.
He said: 'Bringing the World Athletics Championships to the UK would be a moment of great national pride, building on our global reputation for hosting memorable sporting events that showcase the very best talent.'
If successful, the 2029 event would be the first time the World Athletics Championships had taken place in London since 2017.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said the Government would provide 'significant' financial backing for the bids, subject to there being funding from other sources.
It will also look to bid for the World Para Athletics Championships to be held outside London, with a host city to be announced later.
Sir Keir said hosting the championships 'would not only unlock opportunities for UK athletes but it would inspire the next generation to get involved and pursue their ambitions'.
He added: 'The event would provide a boost for UK businesses and support jobs as well as bring our communities together.'
Jack Buckner, chief executive of UK Athletics, welcomed the Prime Minister's commitment, saying hosting the events would 'drive the sport on to new heights' in the UK.
Athletes also welcomed the announcement. Olympic medallist and 1,500m world champion Josh Kerr said taking part in the 2017 championships had 'lit a fire in me'.
Double heptathlon world champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson said it would 'show what British athletics is all about', while para-athlete Zak Skinner said hosting the World Para Athletics Championships 'would be a huge statement — not just for our athletes, but for the next generation watching in the stands or at home'.
A successful bid would add two more events to the string of sporting championships to be hosted in the UK in the next five years, including this year's Women's Rugby World Cup, the Women's T20 Cricket World Cup in 2026, Euro 2028 and the Men's T20 Cricket World Cup in 2030.
This year's championships will take place in Tokyo, while the 2027 edition will be hosted by Beijing.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Sir Chris Hoy's emotional plea answered as ‘staggering' response to cancer diagnosis emerges
Six-time Olympic gold medallist Sir Chris Hoy was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer in 2024 and has been campaigning for more men to get checked since Sir Chris Hoy has seen one of his wishes come true as thousands more men are now getting screened for prostate cancer following his devastating diagnosis. The six-time Olympic champion revealed in 2024 that he'd been diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer after a routine check-up with his GP. The illness had spread from Hoy's prostate into his bones, leaving the cycling legend with just two to four years to live. Hoy was determined to smash the taboo surrounding cancer screening, having never been offered the PSA test that detects the disease - despite his dad and granddad both battling the same condition. Fresh NHS figures reported by The Telegraph reveal nearly 5,000 additional men have been referred for urological cancer checks in the six months since the 49-year-old went public with his news. The data shows 138,734 more males received urgent referrals for urological cancers - with prostate cancer being the primary type - between October 2024 and March 2025. This represents an extra 4,962 cases compared to the same period the previous year, a surge that medical experts are calling "staggering." Prostate cancer remains the most prevalent form of the disease amongst men, with roughly one in eight British males receiving the diagnosis during their lifetime. Separate data has revealed a significant surge in the number of men with a family history of prostate cancer checking their own risk, with usage of online risk checkers increasing by 77% over the same period. Despite his diagnosis, Hoy remains optimistic about his future and continues to fundraise and raise awareness for cancer charities nationwide. He recently launched Tour de 4, an initiative aimed at raising funds for cancer charities and changing perceptions of those living with the disease. Earlier this year, Hoy spoke about his desire for more men to come forward, as he said: "I've faced many challenges in my life, and going public with my prostate cancer diagnosis was certainly one of them. "I've been incredibly lucky to have so much support from my family, friends and the general public. The kindness has lifted me up and given me a sense of purpose. "I'm committed to taking that forward and using my platform to raise awareness of the most common cancer in men and help more men at risk to come forward and get tested." He added: "I was diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer at 47. By this age, my prostate cancer was advanced and could have been progressing from when I was 45 or even younger. "With prostate cancer, the earlier you find it, the easier it is to treat. We need the system to change to enable more men to get diagnosed earlier, and stop them getting the news I got."
Leader Live
2 hours ago
- Leader Live
Jack Conan reveals video from Katie Taylor inspired Lions before second Test win
Taylor, an Olympic gold medal winner and current undisputed world super lightweight champion, sent the good luck message to Andy Farrell's squad in the build-up to Saturday's second Test at Melbourne Cricket Club. The 39-year-old's words on the ability to dig deep turned out to be prophetic as the Lions emerged 29-26 winners after fighting back from an 18-point deficit. 'The video was unbelievably poignant and powerful. It spoke about being prepared to win with skill, but also being ready to win by will,' said Ireland number eight Conan, who like Taylor hails from Bray in County Wicklow. History made 🦁#Lions2025 — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) July 26, 2025 'That was something that was massively summed up in the game because we were not at our best at all. 'It's huge because she comes from the town I'm from. I'm incredibly proud of where I come from and I know Katie is as well. 'She's gone on to achieve incredible feats in the boxing world. To be such a superstar, incredibly humble and driven is something that we leant on as well because we knew that Australia are a hugely proud nation and they showed it in spades. 'Everyone loved it, even the English and the Scottish boys and the Welsh boy – it resonated with everyone. It was unbelievably poignant, it was class. It really hit home for us.' It took a beautifully-taken try by Hugo Keenan with 51 seconds remaining to separate the rivals in one of the greatest Lions matches ever played. Remarkably, Keenan's touchdown was the first time they led in the match. Conan admits that victory tastes all the sweeter for having been taken to the wire as Australia raised their game to a whole new level a week after starting the series with a whimper in Brisbane. 'We were not at our best by any measure, but physically the lads dug in unbelievably well,' he said. Full time scenes in Melbourne 🥹🦁#Lions2025 — British & Irish Lions (@lionsofficial) July 26, 2025 'It was disappointing how we played, but we played for 80 minutes. Hugo getting over the line in the last minute was just unbelievable. 'It wasn't my best game. A lot of us weren't at the races at all, but we stuck in there. You can't fault the effort. I thought the defensive sets we put in, just whacking people and just staying in there, was unbelievable. 'It's something that will go down in history. They won't be writing the history books about how s*** we were, but they'll say that we won and that's all that matters. 'Everyone's over the moon. To be part of a Lions winning series team is incredibly special. The celebrations in the changing room wouldn't have been the same if we'd won by 20.'
Daily Mirror
3 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Sprint star, 16, beats Usain Bolt's 100m record at same age and outshines Gout Gout
Sorato Shimizu set a new under-18 100m world record in Japan's Inter-High School Championships while eclipsing the entry standard for the World Athletics Championships in the process Athletics has a new sensation in the form of an unheralded Japanese sprinter who has outpaced the likes of Gout Gout and Usain Bolt, while etching his name into the annals of history. Sorato Shimizu, at just 16 years old, has set a new under-18 100m world record at Japan's Inter-High School Championships. In doing so, he met the entry standard for the World Athletics Championships. The high school junior, who doesn't celebrate his 17th birthday until February 2026, clocked an impressive time of 10.00 seconds. His performance was quicker than the Japanese high school record set by Yoshihide Kiryu in 2013, who later competed in the Olympic Games. It also surpassed the 10.04 time posted by Australian up-and-comer Gout Gout, and the 10.03-second sprint set by Bolt at the age of 20 - albeit, the latter dedicated himself more to the 200m discipline. Competing in Hiroshima on Saturday, Shimizu's time ranks as the fifth fastest in Japanese history, irrespective of age. This remarkable run, deemed legal with a tailwind of +1.7, has potentially paved the way for him to compete in the world championships on home turf, reports the Mirror US. Shimizu, a student at Seiryo High School in Ishikawa Prefecture, could represent Japan in the World Athletics Championships taking place in Tokyo this September. Speaking about his result, he said: "I was determined to run under 10 seconds heading into the final. I'm happy to have set a high school record. I'd like to get a taste of [the World Championships] if I can make it." Gout's personal best in the 100m was not deemed wind legal, meaning Shimizu bettered the previous U18 100m record of 10.06 seconds, which was held jointly by Puripol Boonson of Thailand and American sprinter Christian Miller. Video footage of the race showed just how commanding Shimizu's display was, as he surged ahead within the first 10m and never looked threatened, cruising to victory by an enormous distance. He added to NHK: "The 10.00-second time was shocking even to me, but I'm happy I was able to achieve it. Winning was my goal, so I focused on running my own race without hesitation. "From the start, I was able to connect to my signature 'second acceleration' and execute the movements I couldn't do in the preliminaries, so that was good." Shimizu currently sits at No. 377 in the world rankings, but should he repeat Saturday's breathtaking display, his position is certain to climb dramatically.
