UK government backs London bid to host the 2029 athletics world championships

LONDON (AP) — The British government has announced its support of London’s bid to host the 2029 athletics world championships.

London hosted the biannual premier track-and-field event in 2017 at the London Stadium, which also held the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2012 Olympic Games. The plan is to stage the 2029 worlds at the same venue.

Saturday’s announcement included the government’s support of a bid for Britain to host the 2029 World Para Athletics Championships.

“Subject to funding from partners being confirmed, the government has agreed to provide significant funding for both bids, reflecting the UK’s ambition to once again bring the world’s greatest athletes to UK shores,” it said in a statement.

The announcement came with London hosting a Diamond League event on Saturday.

This year’s athletics worlds will take place in Tokyo in September. The 2027 edition will be held in Beijing.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he’s “delighted to support the bid.”

“The event would provide a boost for UK businesses and support jobs as well as bring our communities together,” he said in a statement.

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