10 November 2011

The London 2017 bid for the World Athletics Championships has received a major boost with support from more than 100 athletes around the world flooding in.

The athletes, from every IAAF region and comprising World and Olympic medalists, have signed letters of support demonstrating their desire to see the 2017 World Championships staged in London.

The full lists of those who have offered their support reads like a who’s who of world athletics. Some of the world’s top current athletes such as Tirunesh Dibaba, Steve Hooker, Tyson Gay and Fabiana Murer have joined a stellar cast of supporters for London 2017.

Former legends such as Edwin Moses, world record holders like Jonathan Edwards and previous world champions including Steve Cram and Sally Gunnell have all stepped in to support London 2017.

They are joined by current day legends such as Haile Gebrselassie and Kenenisa Bekele, and reigning world champions from the UK – Mo Farah and Dai Greene- and overseas in the shape of Carmelita Jeter and Tatyana Chernova.

The three shortlisted women for IAAF Athlete of the Year, Valerie Adams, Vivian Cheruiyot and Sally Pearson have also spoken out in favour of London.

Some of Britain’s brightest young talent has also leapt at the potential opportunity of competing in London’s Olympic Stadium in 2017. 19 year old British record holders and world junior medalists, Holly Bleasdale, Sophie Hitchon and Lawrence Okoye are all 2017 ambassadors.

The London bid has continued to deliver on the pledge to make the 2017 championships an athlete-centred event.

The Athlete Commission, chaired by Denise Lewis, was created to ensure no stone would go unturned in the pursuit of making the event the perfect stage for athletes to go and compete at their very best. A number of the athletes have also volunteered their time to advise and assist the commission.

Bid President Seb Coe said: “I am thrilled that the London 2017 bid has received such wide ranging and high profile support from the world’s athletes.

They are clearly so excited and enthused by the idea of competing in a championships where their needs have been addressed and where they will compete in front of a full passionate crowd. The input from athletes the world over is already starting to help us develop plans for 2017 should we be successful this week, and it is superb to see them declare their support in this way.

Ed Warner, Chair for the London 2017 bid said: “We are so grateful for the letters of support from the athletes the world over, we have a hundred athletes representing a hundred years of athletics.

“It would be superb if we could deliver a 2017 World Championships based on their feedback to the Athlete Commission. Going into the final day of campaigning it is great to hear the voice of the athletes. I very much hope we will get an opportunity to repay them with a superb World Championship experience.”