UK Sport and UK Athletics are laying the groundwork to bid for the 2029 World Athletics Championships, with an eye on London as the venue. Jack Buckner, the chief executive of UK Athletics, noted the ambition to host an event that could be as impactful as the championships held in London in 2017. Yet, a feasibility study is awaited to examine the options available for the bid further.

The move comes in the wake of the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, where British athlete Josh Kerr won the men’s 3,000m, showcasing the potential of hosting major athletic events in inspiring athletes. Kerr, who experienced the ripple effect of the 2017 London championships early in his career, expressed enthusiasm over the possibility of competing in a home World Championships in 2029.

Simultaneously, Kerr voiced concerns over the financial aspects of athletics, pointing out the disparity in prize money, with the World Athletics Indoor Championships awarding $40,000 (£31,500) to gold medallists like him. He critiqued this as insufficient compared to appearance fees of some star athletes and called for increased investment in the sport. Kerr supported initiatives for a new athletics league funded by the US, as proposed by Olympic legend Michael Johnson, and hinted at the potential benefits of investment from countries like Saudi Arabia in track and field sports. His comments underline a growing discourse on the need for enhanced prize money to attract elite athletes and boost the sport’s appeal.

These developments reflect efforts within UK athletics to not only sustain but also to evolve the sport, both through hosting significant international events and by addressing the financial sustainability and attractiveness of athletics to competitors and fans alike.