Sport
Review
London Athletics Meet 2024
As everyone gears up for Paris, sports stars and fans got their first taste at London Athletics Meet 2024
The sun shone over a vibrant London Stadium on Saturday morning as crowds began to form in anticipation of this year’s edition of the London Athletics Meet – the world’s biggest one-day athletics event. The mood was celebratory, and spirits were high as spectators and onlookers were drawn to the possibilities that lay ahead. Fans displayed passionate support for their favourite athletes, while children and families were invited to partake in a selection of mini-games offering a wide array of athletics-themed prizes.
Built to host the Olympic Games in 2012, the London Stadium dominates the east London skyline as part of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, and is now a multi-purpose outdoor arena for a variety of sport and music events, in addition to being the home of West Ham United F.C. The London Athletics Meet, formerly known as The Anniversary Games, has been held at the stadium since 2013.
Serving as final preparations for the imminent Paris Olympics, many world-renowned athletes embraced the opportunity to showcase their talents in front of a sold-out London crowd before heading to Paris to compete for silverware. 2023 standout Noah Lyles and record-breaking Femke Bol were in action alongside eye-catching British superstars such as debutant Keely Hodgkinson, three-time Olympian Katarina Johnson-Thompson, and the fastest British woman in history, Dina Asher-Smith. The event was this year’s 10th meet in the Wanda Diamond League Series; a key part of the athletics calendar organised by World Athletics.
Following the conclusion of a series of junior and national events, the Diamond League feats commenced to rapturous applause as the women’s javelin initiated proceedings in front of a near-full Stadium. Australian Mackenzie Little, the 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medallist, finished first, kickstarting a successful afternoon for the Aussies, which also saw reigning pole vault world champion Nina Kennedy, and men’s one mile runner Oliver Hoare pick up wins in their respective events.
Americans Noah Lyles and Gabby Thomas enjoyed sprint wins to much acclaim as a sell-out crowd of almost 60,000 were in attendance to witness Lyles round off the afternoon by winning the 100m in 9.81 seconds, while Thomas won the 200m in a meeting record of 21.82 seconds. Dutch star Femke Bol returned to the scene of one of her previous European record-breaking performances to produce the second-fastest time of her career, with a Diamond League record 51.30 seconds in the women’s 400m hurdles. In what transpired to be a record-breaking afternoon, Nickisha Pryce displayed sensational form to set a Diamond League record in the women’s 400m, while Brit Matt Hudson-Smith broke his own European record in the men’s 400m.
The UK rankings were re-written in the sunshine under the roof of the London Stadium. Moved by the electrifying atmosphere, Brit Keely Hodgkinson heard her name radiating through the terraces as she secured the national record in the women’s 800m. Jemma Reekie and Georgia Bell secured stunning personal bests in the same event, rounding off an all-Brit top 3 finishing second and third respectively. Dina Asher-Smith, Imani-Lara Lansiquot, Amy Hunt and Daryll Neita rose to the occasion and took advantage of the great conditions to equal their British 4x100m record of 41.55 seconds.
The London Stadium is the perfect setting to witness sporting achievements from the world’s greatest athletes, and the London Athletics Meet 2025 will return, so don’t miss your chance to immerse yourself in a day of anticipation, excitement and celebration. The fervour surrounding the Athletic Meet reiterates its place in the sporting calendar, and the incredible performance of both competitors and supporters within the ground highlights just why the former Olympic Stadium was built to be the showpiece for the London Olympics in 2012.
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