Sport took the limelight back from concerts at London Stadium with the inaugural Athletics World Cup at the start of July, before West Ham United kicked off a new season in August.
A new edition to the athletics calendar, the new Athletics World Cup was a welcome addition to both the London Stadium and to athletics in general. Just a year after hosting an astonishing Para and World Athletics championships, it was another wonderful event held in front of knowledageable and passionate fans. Just as football’s version was ending in Moscow, the Athletics World Cup put teams from USA, Poland, Jamaica, France, China, Germany and South Africa against hosts Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
One athlete competed in each event, per nation, with points gained from finishing positions. USA dominated the track with eight golds over the men's and women’s events respectively. Jamaica picking up four, Tyquendo Tracey winning the men’s 100m to add his name to the endless list of talent in their ranks as they continue life after Usain Bolt. Poland were the rulers of the field events with four golds, Anita Wlodarczyk adding World Cup gold to her Olympic and World Championship titles.
Great Britain’s success came with the women, the 4x100m relay team taking gold after silver in last year’s World Championships. Lorraine Ugen and Holly Bradshaw won gold in the long jump and pole vault to light up Day One of events.
But as the weekend ended, USA were the nation on top, five medals clear of Jamaica and Poland, with 11 golds.
Heading into August, the new recruits to West Ham United and to London Stadium were preparing for Premier League football. £36 million record signing Felipe Anderson was the eye-catching one, with Andriy Yarmolenko, Lucas Perez, Issa Diop, Ryan Fredericks, Carlos Sanchez, Jack Wilshere and Fabien Balbuena also added to the squad.
The excitement was brewing around London Stadium and following a tricky beginning to the season, they found top gear by the end of September. The Hammers won three out of five games, progressing in the Carabao Cup and picking up an impressive point against Chelsea. 20-year-old Grady Diangana was a break-through star in the 8-0 drubbing of Macclesfield Town, scoring his first senior goals and showing Manuel Pellegrini has an eye on the academy stars at the club.
At the end of the month, Jose Mourinho’s Manchester United came to Stratford, the Hammers were off the back of successive clean sheets and scoring eight goals in the week. It was the United in claret and blue that were on song with the front three of Anderson, Yarmolenko and Marko Arnautovic putting on a dazzling display.
The high-intensity, attacking football Pellegrini brought to Manchester City was on show at London Stadium in one of the best performances seen since they moved from Boleyn Ground. Anderson gave the hosts an early lead with an audacious flick inside 10 minutes, Yarmolenko’s deflected shot doubled the lead on half-time.
The side was blossoming after weeks of settling in as a unit and West Ham were reaping the rewards on a sunny lunchtime in September. Despite a Marcus Rashford consolation, Arnautovic outfoxed David De Gea when played through to send London Stadium wild.
So to October and all the hope of continuing the climb up the table...
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