Athletics
Birmingham is fast becoming the focal point of Britain’s athletics. With one of the country’s most successful clubs (Birchfield Harriers) and venues where more national and international events take place. Our very own NIA, as well as the Alexander Stadium which will host the UK Olympic Trials in July 2008. This is the place to see future Olympians battle it out.
Birmingham is home to more World and European events than any other UK city. The Birmingham sports calendar is jam packed. Athletics is at the centre of most of the action.
In recent years, the NIA has hosted a great many championships; both national and at world level. Moving outdoors, Birmingham will stage the 2009 World Half-Marathon Championships. It’s yet another of the top class sporting spectacles to come to the city. This major event is the only International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) world championships held specifically for road runners. So the very best in the world will be pounding Birmingham’s streets.
There are also four principal athletics clubs in Birmingham. The largest and most successful is Birchfield Harriers - with 100 Olympians over the last 100 years. Founded in 1877, its recent stars include Olympic, World and Commonwealth medallists Denise Lewis, Ashia Hansen, Mark Lewis Francis and Katharine Merry. The club trains at Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr, and has use of Birmingham’s world-class indoor high performance centre.