Colin Jackson believes the challenge of three major events should be embraced by athletes, with the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games to be held either side of the World Athletics Championships and European Athletics Championships.

The rescheduling of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics led to the World Athletics Championships in Orgeon being moved into the 2022 season.

The World Athletics Championships will be the first of three major athletics events within a two-month period next year, with competition in Oregon taking place from July 15 to 24.

Commonwealth Games athletics competition will take place from August 2 to 7, with the European Championships then following from August 15 to 21.

Jackson, speaking to insidethegames as Birmingham 2022 launched its volunteer recruitment process for the Games, believes the challenge will be embraced by athletes.

The 54-year-old highlighted the importance shaping of their schedules around the packed season.

"You know the Championships are there, you plan for them and you train for them," said Jackson, a regular athletics commentator and pundit for the BBC.

"It is not like two weeks before the Commonwealth Games, they say the Games are in two weeks’ time so get ready.

"As a professional you have to plan your schedule so that it works for you.

"I think lots of the athletes will be able to do all of the Championships because that is what their focus will be."

Jackson, who won his first Commonwealth Games medal aged 19 at Edinburgh 1986, believes the event can be a great starting point for upcoming athletes.

He added that the roll call of medallists highlighted the importance athletes place on the Games, as well as the opportunity to represent home nations.

Jackson won the men's 110 metres Commonwealth Games gold medals at Auckland 1990 and Victoria 1994, along with winning a second silver medal at Manchester 2002.

As well as his Commonwealth Games success for Wales, Jackson won an Olympic silver medal at Seoul 1988.

He earned world titles both indoors and outdoors during his career, setting world records over 60m indoors and 110m outdoors.

Jackson welcomed the ongoing redevelopment of the Alexander Stadium, which will be the centrepiece of Birmingham 2022.

The £72 million ($99million/€82million) improvement will see the venue have a 30,000 Games-time capacity.

This will be reduced to 18,000 post-Games.

"It will be great to see the stadium you recognise on TV and know it is your home turf," Jackson said.

"I think the stadium will also have that wow factor.

"That wow factor will certainty help to raise performances by that one or two per cent."

Source: https://www.insidethegames.biz