Stratford in East London is set to be a busy part of London for the next 6 years. After hosting the London Olympic Games next year, parts of the Olympic Park in Stratford and the Olympic Stadium will welcome the World Athletics Championship in 2017.

The World Athletics Championship will see the best athletes in the world, men and women, compete for gold in 47 disciplines including the 100m, hurdles, long jump, triple jump, hammer throw, javelin throw and the marathon. The event will be staged at the Olympic Stadium in Stratford.

It was announced this week that London beat the rival bid from Doha, Qatar, to host the event. The council of the International Association of Athletics Federations voted 16 votes to 10 to take the international event to London and Stratford rather than the Gulf state. London’s bid was led by former double Olympic champion Sebastian Coe.

Margaret Ford, chairman of the Olympic Park Legacy Company said: “We have always been committed to a lasting athletics legacy for the Olympic Stadium and being able to host the World Athletics Championships in 2017 is the icing on the cake.”

In the meantime, we look forward to the London Games in Stratford. Moscow will be hosting the 2013 championships with Beijing staging the 2015 edition, before the London event in 2017.

The London event in 2017 will see rising sports stars competing for gold. These include Jodie Williams (100m), Holly Bleasdale, Already the British pole vault record-holder, Katarina Thompson, The 2009 world youth heptathlon champion, Desire Henry, 100m and 200m and Jack Green,  winner of the European under-23 400m hurdles title in 2011.