BUNGLING World Athletics organisers kept athletes waiting on the start-line for five minutes as the opening ceremony for London 2017 overran.
Sprinters taking part in the first heat of the men’s 100m preliminary round were left kicking their heels as their race was delayed because of the events going on in the London Stadium.
The competitors had finished their warm-up preparations and were called behind the blocks by the starter, as they got ready to make a prompt 7pm start.
But they were then forced to wait while former X-Factor star Rebecca Ferguson sung the Championships song in front of the sell-out 50,000 crowd.
Then came special effects and fireworks to the delight of the crowd, bur hardly helping the athletes who were still left standing stripped off an ready for action.
They finally got off and running five minutes after they should have done as Liberia’s Emmanuel Matadi raced home to victory to books his place in the next round.
In a low-key opening to the Championships, spectators were entertained by the Games Makers Choir – made up of volunteers who met whilst working at the London Oympics.
Prince Andrew, IAAF chief Seb Coe and London Mayor Sadiq Khan then gave lengthy speeches which saw the ceremony go over-time.
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