With developments officially now underway, the last hurrah for the Alexander Stadium – as we know it now – saw a host of record-breaking stars out to book their flight tickets for Doha and the 2019 edition of the IAAF World Athletics Championships at the Müller British Athletics Championships.
Record-holder Dina Asher-Smith, European champion Matt Hudson-Smith, Eilish McColgan and, somewhat surprisingly, Ojie Edoburun, guaranteed their respective Team GB vests with Championship, Season and Personal Bests a-plenty at the Trials.
Triple European champion, Asher-Smith, who broke her own British Championship record and is planning to compete at 100m and 200m, said: "I'm just happy I've booked my seat for at least one of the events." On the possibility of doubling-up, she added: "It's all about the progression to the World Championships."
A hugely delighted Edoburun, 23, said he was "very, very happy" after claiming victory by one thousandth of a second.
"I'm not going to cry on TV. It's taken me so long to figure out what works for me, while seeing my peers excel," he said. "I was so scared, having flashbacks of all the bad trials I've had over the years."
On a day where many other stars such as Morgan Lake, Tim Duckworth, Harry Hughes, Rosie Clarke and Jodie Williams confirmed their places in the squad for Doha, it was a particularly fitting way to give the Alexander Stadium its big send-off before it undergoes major redevelopments in preparation for the Commonwealth Games in 2022, with Councillor Ian Ward, leader of Birmingham City Council, saying: “We’re now in an exciting phase of the design process where we would like to share our plans for the future with the community and hear their thoughts.
“The team has designed a redeveloped stadium which will meet the needs and aspirations of the community for generations to come. This is about creating a destination venue, shaping a legacy beyond the Commonwealth Games.”
The changes to the 40-year-old stadium will include an increase in permanent seating capacity from 12,700 to 18,000, allowing up to 40,000 during the Games through additional temporary seating.
The Perry Barr venue, which is the home of UK Athletics, will host the athletics plus the opening and closing ceremonies at the Games, set to take place from July 27 to August 7, 2022.
