Dina Asher-Smith has expressed her excitement about competing in Birmingham but stressed that she sees London as the home of athletics in the UK.
The 200 metres world champion is set to compete in the Birmingham Diamond League event on May 21 and the Commonwealth Games that take place in the city from July 28.
There is uncertainty over the future of athletics at the London Stadium, with it recently reported that talks had taken place over the sport possibly moving away from the venue, which also hosts West Ham matches.
Asher-Smith was asked at a press conference ahead of Friday’s Diamond League meet in Doha – where she claimed her world title in 2019 – if she felt Birmingham was potentially going to become the track and field centre of the UK.
And she said: “Perhaps. We’ve got a really nice new stadium in Birmingham, which I’ll be fortunate enough to try out next week. I’m very excited for that and very excited for the Commonwealth Games.
“(But) I always think that London is the centre of sport in the UK and it would be amazing to kind of have a base and really use the London Stadium, particularly as it is the Olympic Stadium, it’s where the Anniversary Games has been, and all the other major sports have their base in London.”
Either side of the Commonwealth Games this summer are the World Championships in Eugene and European Championships in Munich.
I always think that London is the centre of sport in the UK and it would be amazing to kind of have a base and really use the London Stadium.- Dina Asher-Smith
Asher-Smith said: “For British athletes it’s the busiest season we’ve ever had. We’ve got a World Championships, then we’ve got to fly home for a home Commonwealth Games and again a week later we have the European
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