by Stuart Weir
Barclaycard Arena Indoor track facility, photo courtesy of WIC Birmingham 2018
Arena Birmingham, photo by WIC Birmingham 2018
This is a piece on Birmingham, England and some of the upcoming prominent athletic events that will be hosted in this city. Special thanks to Stuart Weir on this update.
Birmingham is rapidly establishing itself as a centre of athletics. Already the seat of the headquarters of UK Athletics, the city hosts the British outdoor Championships and trials each tear and a Diamond League. For years it has hosted a high quality indoor Grand Prix (now every second year alternating with Glasgow).
Planned upgrades for Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium, photo from WIC Birmingham 2018
In March 2018, Birmingham will host the World Indoor Championships. This is a great opportunity, following hard on the heels of London 2017. Then with Durban (South Africa) deciding that it could not afford to host the 2022 Commonwealth Games, which had been awarded to it, Birmingham looks set to be the host city. Birmingham had first to see off the challenge of Liverpool for the backing of the UK authorities. Then it looked as if Kuala Lumpur was going to bid to host again as it had in 1998. In the end Birmingham went forward to the Commonwealth Games Federation as the only country offering to host.
Alexander Stadium, in present, photo by J. Stuart Weir
2018 Birmingham Dates
1-4 March World Indoors
30 June/1 July UK Championships (probable)
18 August Diamond League
2022 Commonwealth Games (to be confirmed)
