British Athletics confirmed that eight of the worlds top athletics nations will compete in the Athletics World Cup London 2018 this summer.
Following on from the success of London 2017 which saw the capital become the first city ever to stage both the World Para Athletics and IAAF World Athletics Championships in the same year, fans of the sport will once again see the best countries competing in the UK, in the greatest athletics stadium in the world.
Richard Bowker, Chairman of UK Athletics commented on the new development, saying “The Athletics World Cup London 2018 will be one of the biggest athletics events in 2018.”
We’re thrilled to be able to launch it at the London Stadium. This is world-class competition where nation will face nation and fans will see an amazing feast of athletics over two days featuring many of the biggest global superstars in the world of sport.
“This will be an incredible event which we are thrilled to be able to launch on the back of a highly-successful World Championships last summer,” Bowker.
The competition format featuring all field and track events up to and including the 1500m will star the world’s eight leading athletics nations over those disciplines: USA, Great Britain & Northern Ireland, Poland, China, Germany, France, Jamaica and South Africa. The ground-breaking two-day event takes place under floodlights across Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 July at the London Stadium.
IAAF President, Sebastian Coe said: “This is one of the exciting innovative events we are seeing in our sport and our thanks go to British Athletics and the Mayor of London for creating it and hosting it. We have 8 lanes, 8 top nations, 8 teams and a host of world class athletes lining up in each event to win the trophy and prize pot. This will be a fast-paced and exhilarating experience for athletes and fans.”
Each nation will be competing for a $2million prize pot over two evening sessions of athletics under the lights.
With just one man and one women from each nation selected in each event in an all-straight final format, the biggest competing nations are set to be welcomed back to London this summer, with registrations opening today (5 February) on www.athleticsworldcup.org following which a ballot for tickets will be held in April 2018.
South African Wayde van Nierkerk, Olympic and World Champion, “It’s great to see such an exciting head to head event confirmed to be taking place in London this summer – the concept is one that will excite everyone in athletics and is sure to attract new fans to the sport.”
“The South African team will be there in force and we hope to see fans from all over the world join us in London for what will be an amazing competition,” added van Nierkerk.
To mark 100 years since women were given the right to vote, and as part of the Mayor of London’s #BehindEveryGreatCity campaign, the first edition of the event will see all Nations select a female athlete as team captain.