17 December 2020

Former Olympian Kelly Sotherton backs Birmingham to host World Athletics Championships after Commonwealth Games

Two-time Olympic heptathlon bronze medallist Kelly Sotherton has backed Birmingham to host a World Athletics Championships as the city prepares to hold the Commonwealth Games in 2022.

The 44 year-old believes that the Alexander Stadium, which is currently undergoing a £72.4 million revamp ahead of the Commonwealth Games, could be a stadium to host world-class athletics events in the future. 

Birmingham has previously hosted the World Athletics Indoor Championships in 2003 and 2018 at the National Indoor Arena, but never a World Championships. 

Sotherton, who is Team England's track and field team leader for Birmingham 2022, said: "Birmingham has always hosted championships really well.

"We always hold really good indoor championships when it is at the NIA, so why not?

"It’s probably part of the future and the legacy. It’s what we would want to do in the future.

“If you have got a facility that is world class and it has held world class events then the future has no limits.”

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