There is a lot to look forward to this year, but Katharine Merry is confident that Birmingham will rise to the occasion and deliver next year’s biggest moments.
What does Ozzy Osbourne have to do with next year in athletics? Well, actually more than you think. Before you start wondering what I’m talking about and if I’m still at Christmas Bailey’s, please bear with me for a moment.
The Prince of Darkness is, of course, inextricably linked to Birmingham and the West Midlands. He and Black Sabbath have been one of the area’s biggest exporters and his passing last summer (with all the emotional outpouring it caused just a couple of weeks after what turned out to be their farewell performance at Villa Park) brought unity and new energy to the city.
The region responded and not only changed the atmosphere on the streets among residents, but also sparked initiatives and events that attracted more and more people from around the world to come and see where Ozzy grew up, see where he performed, visit the Black Sabbath Bridge on Broad Street in the center of the city and simply pay tribute to someone who had such star power and was a life force.
“Yes, Katharine, that’s all very well, but what does that have to do with athletics?” I hear you cry. Well, there is a strong link because Birmingham will be right at the center of some of the biggest events in sport in 2026.
From a British perspective, the national indoor and outdoor championships will take place there, but the main event, of course, is the arrival of the European Championships in August. It’s been said many times that Britain excels when it comes to hosting big events but I’ll say it again and as we all know, the shock of a host city leaving can have a lasting effect.
The championships will fall less than a month after the anniversary of Ozzy’s death, so his presence will be everywhere. Tourism is going to be high, people are going to book hotels, the bridge and the murals will be flooded with flowers again… athletes and athletics fans will reach a very, very exciting point in the summer.
Last summer on BBC Radio WM I presented the funeral procession show when Ozzy drove through town for the last time. My emotional BBC West Midlands clip went viral and has 1.8 million views. That’s Ozzy Osbourne’s strength and I’ve already had meetings with my producers about how we’re going to prepare for the championships and how we’re going to spread the word. There has already been fear of missing out, which is driving punters to start buying tickets.
The 2022 Commonwealth Games at Alexander Stadium far exceeded people’s expectations in terms of how it was run and what it did for the region, and all the omens at the moment point to something similar happening. Athletes know that Birmingham can be trusted to do a good job, and that goes a long way toward attracting the biggest names to show up as well.
Personally, as King appointed Deputy Lieutenant of the region, who will not live anywhere else… it is going to mean a lot! I have never competed in a major championship at Alexander Stadium. Yes, I coached national championships there, represented my country there and, as a member of Birchfield Harriers, spent countless hours training there, but I never coached a major championship there. I would have loved to have done that, like Matt Hudson-Smith did at the Commonwealth in 2022. I know he didn’t get the result he wanted at the time, but fingers crossed he can do it at the Europeans.
I’m proud to showcase these championships, push them, and make everyone as excited as I am. Obviously, as president of Birchfield Harriers, it’s another opportunity for us as a club to show what we do. There was a lot of publicity at the time that the preparation for the Commonwealth Games was difficult for us, but this time it looks like it will be much smoother. Many lessons have been learned from four years ago.
I am sure there will also be much to learn from this year’s edition of the Games, which will look very different in Glasgow in July. This simplified version appears to have saved the Games for now and, with India set to host 2030, there is at least a small respite.
I hope Glasgow is a big success again. I know the Commonwealths don’t excite everyone, but I think they represent a huge and important opportunity for athletes who I think would be sorely missed in an ever-changing calendar.
I want Glasgow to be a success and I want Birmingham to be a success. I think if both things go as planned, then everything else should take care of itself. The Diamond League is not perfect, but it is made up of long-established events that are hugely dependent and we know it will offer fast times, big jumps and long shots. There’s intrigue over how World Athletics’ inaugural Ultimate Championship could work, but then again, Budapest has a history of putting on a big show after the 2023 World Championships, so there’s reason to get excited there too. It is not a step into the unknown.
Overall, my wish for the new year is to see more of our brilliant athletes putting in inspiring performances and that is another reason to have hope for success in these great championships.
Steve Cram and Steve Smith recently announced an initiative that hopes to keep more young people in athletics and I applaud them for it. They are seeking opinions and ideas from across the sport on how to combat the worrying dropout rates among teenagers and I hope they get a broad cross-section, from coaches and officials to the athletes themselves, to have their say.
It is not an easy topic to address. Both of my sons play soccer and have never shown any desire to try track and field or asked me if they can go track and I honestly can’t put my finger on exactly why. I know athletics can be very lonely, given its individual nature and being so different from team sports, but there is a lot it can teach you and give you, not to mention the potential lifelong friendships you can make.
I think it is important that athletics does not try to compete with sports like football, which is a world apart in terms of participation and attention levels. I think we should instead do everything we can to promote all the benefits that come with participating in athletics and then be in the best position to take advantage of those who might decide that big team sports are no longer for them. Matt Hudson-Smith was in the Wolves academy, for example, and Adam Gemili was at Chelsea before becoming an Olympic sprinter.
Having exposure to well-known athletes doing incredible things will also help the cause, which is another reason to hope that these great opportunities awaiting us in 2026 can be grabbed with both hands. “I’m going through changes,” as Ozzy once sang. The same could be said for athletics, so could this be the year the sport can take another significant step forward?
