By Sam Tonks    Â
London Stadium is ready for a return to the centre-stage of the athletics world. Following this month's World ParaAthletics Championships, the focus will shift to the IAAF World Championships and Team GB’s finest will compete for gold in front of what is set to be a packed home crowd. 78 athletes will represent the nation, including Olympic and World champions, Sir Mo Farah and Greg Rutherford.
The reigning world champion over 5,000 and 10,000m, Farah hasn’t been defeated at a major championship over those distances since 2011. He is forever engrained in the stadium’s history after ‘Super Saturday’ in 2012, now he’s aiming for a fourth 5,000m title and a hat-trick in the 10,000m in what will be one of his final track races.
Rutherford is struggling with an ankle injury but the defending world champion is determined to be fit in time for next month’s competition. Olympic bronze medallist Sophie Hitchon looks for her first Hammer world title along with 2015 world finalist, Nick Miller.
The sprint action sees a comeback for Perry-Shakes Drayton in the 4x400m who has been absent from international competition since the 2013 championships. Whilst, the bronze winning 4x100m women relay side from Rio compete for another podium spot.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson will test herself in the Long Jump, High Jump and her renowned Heptathlon event. The understudy to Dame Jessica Ennis, she is now the main attraction and will be set on achieving a first outdoor major medal.
London born and bred Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake runs in the 200m. He is the second fastest Brit over the distance and will hope to carry it into medal success after gaining experience in Rio. Another at their first world championships is Shannon Hylton. The 200m runner will take inspiration from Dina Asher-Smith’s record setting run in Beijing a couple years ago.
The London Stadium will hope for plenty more records, rising stars and most of all medals come August.
