Speaking at an event in London today where the Co-operative Group was announced as a national partner of this year's World Para Athletics Championships and a supporter of the British Para-athletics team, Whitehead claimed that this summer's events will be the largest in the country this year.

“When you think about the pinnacle of sport you want to compete and be successful in your home capital and in a massive competition,” Whitehead told insidethegames today.

“The IAAF World Championships and World Para Athletics Championships will be the biggest events this country will see this year.

“That is not just because of the athletes competing on the track but because it is a spectator event which the whole city can get behind."

At the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, Whitehead won his second T42 200m gold medal following his success on home soil at London 2012.

He also won a silver in the Brazilian city in the T42 100m event.

Whitehead has also dominated the T42 200m competition in the last three editions of the World Para Athletics Championships, winning gold in Christchurch in 2011, Lyon in 2013 and most recently in Doha in 2015.

With 101 days to go until the Championships begin, Whitehead was joined today by fellow Paralympian Sam Ruddock and former Olympic champion Sally Gunnell for the launch of the partnership at The Orbit on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

Whitehead added that although he cannot promise further success, he is confident the British team has the talent to win medals later this year.

“You can be over confident and I will never say that I will win but I can guarantee that myself and athletes such as Carly [Tait] and Sam [Ruddock] and the rest of the British team are going to give 110 per cent and try and win as many medals as we can do," said Whitehead, who has also won three European Championships gold medals.

“Obviously, we can only do our best.

“I have always said that we have a talented squad with lots of different abilities and experience which has really helped.”

As part of the agreement signed today, during the Championships the Co-op will supply food to the competition's athletes and volunteers.

The Co-op marked the partnerships by launching a Support our Heroes mosaic for the British Para Athletics team.

The image which includes Ruddock, Whitehead and Tait, who also competed at Rio 2016, will be used as a digital picture for the public to upload their messages of support in the build-up and throughout the championships.

More than 3,000 athletes spanning 200 nations are set to compete at the World Para Athletics Championships, scheduled for July 14 to 23, at the Olympic Stadium in London.

They will be followed by the IAAF World Championships the following month at the same stadium.