London was chosen to host the 2017 world athletics championships by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) on Friday. The capital city beat Doha in a head-to-head battle for the right to stage the global track and field showpiece for the first time.
London's bid team, which included 2012 Olympics chief Sebastian Coe, Sports Minister Hugh Robertson, London Mayor Boris Johnson and former Olympic champion Denise Lewis, hugged each other after the decision was announced by IAAF president Lamine Diack. London and Doha were the only candidates. The 2013 championships will be staged in Moscow with Beijing hosting the showpiece event two years later.