World Champions in Impact

I was disappointed, to say the least, that London Stadium was not chosen to host the 2029 World Athletics Championships.

I have no doubt Nairobi will do a fantastic job, and I completely understand the significance of Africa hosting the Championships for the first time. My disappointment is certainly not directed at Kenya.

What struck me this morning, before we heard the outcome, was a reminder of what makes this place so special, and it made me stop and take some photos.

On the London Marathon Community Track beside the Stadium, students from Bobby Moore Academy were out for a morning run before a day of lessons. It is the very same track where the world’s best athletes warm up before competing at the sold-out London Diamond League. At the same time, final preparations were underway inside the Stadium for tonight’s West Ham v Fulham match.

World-class sport and community use, side by side. That is exactly what Olympic legacy should look like.

I’ve been involved with the legacy, or what I prefer to call the Olympic impact, in different ways over the years. One thing I’ve learned is that success was never really about a few extraordinary weeks in the summer of 2012, and it certainly isn’t about securing every major event. It’s about what happens every day afterwards.

Of course, London Stadium is a remarkable venue, and it’s a privilege to work with a team that consistently delivers at the highest level. But what truly sets this place apart is the wider ecosystem. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, thriving communities, excellent transport links, cultural institutions, jobs, opportunity, investment and growth.

Good luck to Nairobi. I’m sure the first World Athletics Championships in Africa will be a landmark occasion.

As for London, it will keep doing what it’s done for the last fourteen years. That is delivering the greatest legacy from the greatest Games.