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U.S. Olympic Team to be based in Birmingham in 2012

Posted March 4th, 2007 at 8:00 AM by Jeanie Rebb

Section: News & Results, Olympics

In a joint press conference here today, the Birmingham City Council and USA Track & Field (USATF) announced that the American athletics team for the 2012 Olympic Games in London would be based in this Midlands city of approximately 1,000,000 people.

“We’ve had a wonderful experience here,” said Stephanie Hightower, the chair of USATF women’s track & field executive committee, who said that the U.S. training base would be at Alexander Stadium.

She said that the U.S. team would begin arriving here three or four days after the conclusion of the U.S. Olympic Trials which will be held in July, 2012. Hightower envisioned approximately 150 athletes, coaches, officials and other support personnel coming to Birmingham.

“This will be home base,” said Hightower. “They will come and unpack their bags, settle in.”

Birmingham, which is currently hosting the 29th European Indoor Championships, prides itself on being a top sporting town. Speaking for the City of Birmingham, city council leader Mike Whitby said, “Birmingham is a world class city for sport and I am absolutely delighted to publicly announce that we are close to reaching an agreement for the U.S. team to base themselves in our city in the build-up to the London 2012 Olympic Games.”

Whitby and Hightower did not say when the agreement would be finalized, but they spoke as if it were a fait accompli. Hightower said USATF has stopped looking, and did not need to consider other sites.

“We’re not going to do a lot of soul searching, so to speak,” said Hightower who was convinced that Birmingham would thoroughly meet the Americans’ needs.

Birmingham is the home of Olympic and Commonwealth Games medalist Ian Stewart, one of the city’s most visible and outspoken boosters. Through his Fast Track sports marketing company, Stewart organizes two significant athletics meetings here: The Norwich Union Grand Prix at the National Indoor Arena and the Norwich Union International at Alexander Stadium. Hightower came to know and appreciate Birmingham through Stewart and his meetings.

Whitby said that the city was planning to build additional facilities, but Hightower was satisfied with the infrastructure which is in place today. Birmingham is a convenient 90 minute train ride to London, another key factor in the USATF decision.

“We just see this as a perfect opportunity,” Hightower concluded.