A new performance centre for elite athletes will open in Birmingham in 2023.

Representatives from UK Athletics and Birmingham City Council at the Alexander Stadium
Picture: Birmingham City Council

UK Athletics and Birmingham City Council have agreed a partnership for the Alexander Stadium site, which was redeveloped as part of the Commonwealth Games.

The Performance and Innovation Centre will be targeted at athletes and coaches, with technology and analytics systems not currently available in the UK on offer.

Jack Buckner, CEO of UK Athletics, said: “For some time, we have aspired to have an environment which adds value to the daily training of our Olympic and Paralympic athletes, where training and performance insight can be taken to the next level and rival international competitors.

“The creation of the Performance and Innovation Centre will help us to achieve this.”

The new centre will complement other users of the site, including Birchfield Harriers and Birmingham City University.

Cllr Ian Ward, leader of Birmingham City Council, added: “This partnership with UK Athletics underlines the Alexander Stadium’s status as the premier athletics facility in the UK.

“I am delighted that Birmingham, through this Performance and Innovation Centre, will play a key role in the development and success of future generations of world-class talent.

“But just as important is the enhanced purpose it brings to our new facilities. The Commonwealth Games always needed to be about more than 11 fantastic days of sport – through partnerships like this and other things we are working on, the stadium will become a focal point for health, wellbeing, education and community activity for everyone from the people of Perry Barr to elite-level athletes.”

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