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World Marathon Challenge inspires London bid for 2017 World Athletics Championships

Exciting news! As a powerful endorsement of our World Marathon Challenge, we’ve been invited to be the charity partner of London’s bid to host the 2017 World Athletics Championships.

The London bid team – led by Lord Coe – announced that Save the Children will be the charity partner for its international legacy programme that will be launched should the capital win its bid to host the Championships.

Legacy Education in Athletics Programme (LEAP) is a global athletics development programme aimed at engaging two million children in athletics across 17 developing countries over four years.

Building on the success of our World Marathon Challenge, LEAP will empower young leaders to organise local athletics events in villages, towns and cities across the world.

Global impact

Justin Forsyth, Chief Executive of Save the Children, said: “We are delighted to be the charity partner of London 2017 and believe LEAP can have a huge global impact.

“Save the Children is committed to help young people around the world fulfil their potential and to bring the world’s attention to the plight of children who face a daily struggle to survive.  Community athletics activities as part of LEAP 2017 could provide a wonderful platform to achieve just that.”

Lord Coe, who will lead the London 2017 bid presentation just as he did for the 2012 Olympics in Singapore in 2005, said: “At a time when fewer young people are participating in sport, LEAP 2017 will connect more young people around the world with the opportunity to experience, play and practise sport in their communities, which in turn will help grow our sport.”

The vote takes place on 11 November in Monaco, bringing London head-to-head with the Qatar’s capital, Doha to decide who hosts the championships.

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