GB women lead the way as British Athletics announces its athletes for next month’s Tokyo Olympic Games and a further 54 for the European U23 Championships.
After 7 athletes were already selected in the marathon and race-walk, Team GB has announced a further 65 athletes to make up it’s track and field contingent for the upcoming Olympic Games. The women’s side, in particular, is one of the strongest in years with Dina Asher-Smith one of the favourites for gold in the 100 and 200m. Asher-Smith will also compete in the 4x100m relay as she aims to complete a historic triple.
Sticking with the women, British 800m Champion and European 800m Champion, Keely Hodgkinson will compete in her first Olympics knowing that she has a realistic chance of a medal. She’ll be supported by multiple major and global medalist Laura Muir who will run in the 800m and 1500m.
For the men, the 800m team looks one of the strongest in decades after a thrilling British Championship race where Elliot Giles pipped Oliver Dustin by 1 100th of a second. Dan Rowden will join them on the plane where they’re arguably all potential gold medal winners.
In the men’s 1500m, Team GB will also be hoping to compete strongly for a medal with Josh Kerr, the 2nd fastest in the world this year, and Jake Wightman a 3:29 runner from Monaco in 2020, both having qualified. Can they topple clear favourite Jakob Ingebrigsten?
World Heptathlon Champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson returns for her 3rd Olympics providing she can demonstrate her fitness ahead of the Games.
(Full team selected at the end of this article)
Under 23 Athletes Chosen to Represent GB at the U23 European Championships
54 of GB’s finest young talents will head to Tallinn in Estonia for the European U23 Championships between 8th and 11th July 2021. Just like in the senior side, the men’s 800m looks strong with Ben Pattison and Finley McLear returning to win medals for a second time.
Elsewhere, George Mills in the 1500m and Tom Mortimer in the 5000m will be hoping to capitalise on some impressive form this season and will be aiming to medal given that both are ranked 3rd in Europe in their respective events. They’ll be joined in their events by some strong teammates in Josh Lay and Tiarnan Crorken and Issac Akers and Rory Leonard respectively.
On the women’s side, Erin Wallace will be hoping to build on her impressive run at the British Championships last week. As will Eleanor Bolton who runs in the 10,000m and will be hoping for a medal.
In the sprints, Shemar Boldizsar will be seeking to retain his 200m title alongside compatriot Jona Efoloko.
(Full team at the end of this article)
British athletes chosen to represent Team GB at Tokyo Olympics:
Women
100m
Dina Asher-Smith (John Blackie, Blackheath and Bromley)
Daryll Neita (Rana Reider, Cambridge)
Asha Philip (Steve Fudge, Newham and Essex Beagles)
200m
Dina Asher-Smith (John Blackie, Blackheath and Bromley)
Beth Dobbin (Leon Baptiste, Edinburgh)
400m
Ama Pipi (Linford Christie, Enfield and Haringey)
Jodie Williams (Ryan Freckleton, Herts Phoenix)
Nicole Yeargin (Quincy Watts, Pitreavie)
800m
Keely Hodgkinson (Trevor Painter, Leigh)
Laura Muir (Andy Young, Dundee Hawkhill)
Jemma Reekie (Andy Young, Kilbarchan)
1500m
Laura Muir (Andy Young, Dundee Hawkhill)
Katie Snowden (Dan Stepney, Herne Hill)
5000m
Jess Judd (Mick Judd, Blackburn)
Amy-Eloise Markovc (Chris Fox, Wakefield)
Eilish McColgan (Liz Nuttall, Dundee Hawkhill)
10,000m
Jess Judd (Mick Judd, Blackburn)
Eilish McColgan (Liz Nuttall, Dundee Hawkhill)
Marathon
Stephanie Davis (Phillip Kissi, Clapham Chasers)
Jessica Piasecki (Robert Hawkins, Stockport)
Steph Twell (Steve Vernon, Aldershot Farnham and District)
3000m Steeplechase
Elizabeth Bird (Pat McCurry, Shaftesbury Barnet)
Aimee Pratt (Vicente Modahl, Sale Harriers Manchester)
100m Hurdles
Tiffany Porter (Jeff Porter, Woodford Green Essex Ladies)
Cindy Sember (Jeff Porter, Woodford Green Essex Ladies)
400m Hurdles
Meghan Beesley (Benke Blomkvist, Birchfield)
Jessie Knight (Marina Armstrong, Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow)
Jessica Turner (Nick Dakin, Amber Valley and Erewash)
High Jump
Morgan Lake (Fuzz Caan, Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow)
Pole Vault
Holly Bradshaw (Scott Simpson, Blackburn)
Long Jump
Abigail Irozuru (Aston Moore, Sale Harriers Manchester)
Jazmin Sawyers (Lance Brauman, City of Stoke)
Lorraine Ugen (Dwight Phillips, Thames Valley)
Shot Put
Sophie McKinna (Mike Winch, Great Yarmouth)
Heptathlon
Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Bertrand Valcin, Liverpool) *Subject to fitness
4x100m Relay
Dina Asher-Smith (John Blackie, Blackheath and Bromley)
Beth Dobbin (Leon Baptiste, Edinburgh)
Imani-Lara Lansiquot (Steve Fudge, Sutton and District)
Daryll Neita (Rana Reider, Cambridge)
Ashleigh Nelson (Michael Afilaka, City of Stoke)
Asha Philip (Steve Fudge, Newham and Essex Beagles)
4x400m Relay
Zoey Clark (Eddie McKenna, Thames Valley)
Emily Diamond (Benke Blomkvist, Bristol and West)
Jessie Knight (Marina Armstrong, Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow)
Laviai Nielsen (Christine Bowmaker, Enfield and Haringey)
Ama Pipi (Linford Christie, Enfield and Haringey)
Jessica Turner (Nick Dakin, Amber Valley and Erewash)
Hannah Williams (Glyn Hawkes, Herts Phoenix)
Jodie Williams (Ryan Freckleton, Herts Phoenix)
Nicole Yeargin (Quincy Watts, Pitreavie)
Men
100m
CJ Ujah (Ryan Freckleton, Enfield and Haringey)
Zharnel Hughes (Glen Mills, Shaftesbury Barnet)
Reece Prescod (Marvin Rowe, Enfield and Haringey)
Men’s 200m
Adam Gemili (Rana Reider, Blackheath and Bromley)
Men’s 800m
Oliver Dustin (Graeme Mason, Border)
Elliot Giles (Jon Bigg, Birchfield)
Daniel Rowden (Matt Yates, Woodford Green Essex Ladies)
1500m
Jake Heyward (Mark Rowland, Cardiff)
Josh Kerr (Danny Mackey, Edinburgh)
Jake Wightman (Geoff Wightman, Edinburgh)
5000m
Andrew Butchart (Barry Fudge, Central)
Marc Scott (Jerry Schumacher, Richmond and Zetland)
10,000m
Sam Atkin (Mike Collins, Lincoln Wellington)
Marc Scott (Jerry Schumacher, Richmond and Zetland)
Marathon
Ben Connor (Steve Vernon, Derby)
Callum Hawkins (Robert Hawkins, Kilbarchan)
Chris Thompson (Alan Storey, Aldershot Farnham and District)
20km Race Walk
Tom Bosworth (Andi Drake, Tonbridge)
Callum Wilkinson (Rob Heffernan, Enfield and Haringey)
3000m Steeplechase
Phil Norman (Tomaz Plibersek, Woodford Green Essex Ladies)
Zak Seddon (Jeff Seddon, Bracknell)
110m Hurdles
Andrew Pozzi (Santiago Antunez, Stratford-upon, Avon)
High Jump
Tom Gale (Denis Doyle, Team Bath)
Pole Vault
Harry Coppell (Scott Simpson, Wigan and District)
Triple Jump
Ben Williams (Aston Moore, City of Stoke)
Shot Put
Scott Lincoln (Paul Wilson, City of York)
Discus
Lawrence Okoye (Zane Duquemin / John Hillier, Croydon)
Hammer
Taylor Campbell (John Pearson, Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow)
Nick Miller (Tore Gustafsson, Border)
Men’s 4x100m Relay
Adam Gemili (Rana Reider, Blackheath and Bromley)
Zharnel Hughes (Glen Mills, Shaftesbury Barnet)
Richard Kilty (Gateshead)
Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (Lance Brauman, Newham and Essex Beagles)
Reece Prescod (Marvin Rowe, Enfield and Haringey)
CJ Ujah (Ryan Freckleton, Enfield and Haringey)
Men’s 4x400m Relay
Niclas Baker (Piotr Spas, Crawley)
Cameron Chalmers (Matt Elias, Guernsey)
Matthew Hudson-Smith (Lance Brauman, Birchfield)
Michael Ohioze (Dan Tomlin, Shaftesbury Barnet)
Lee Thompson (John Henson, Sheffield and Dearne)
British Team for U23 European Championships:
Men
100m
Dominic Ashwell (Marvin Rowe, Shaftesbury Barnet)
Jeremiah Azu (Helen Patricia James, Cardiff)
Brandon Mingeli (Ryan Freckleton, Cambridge Harriers)
200m
Shemar Boldizsar (Stephen David Loft, Harlow)
Jona Efoloko (Clarence Callender, Sale Harriers Manchester)
400m
Joe Brier (Matt Elias, Swansea)
Alex Haydock-Wilson (Michael Baker, Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow)
800m
Finlay McLear (Exeter)
Ben Pattison (Dave Ragan, Basingstoke and Mid Hants)
Thomas Randolph (Craig Winnow, Tamworth)
1500m
Tiarnan Crorken (Andy Bibby, Preston)
Josh Lay (Anthony Love, Rugby & Northampton)
George Mills (Jon Bigg, Brighton Phoenix)
5000m
Issac Akers (Bill Boyd, Crosby)
Rory Leonard (Morpeth)
Tom Mortimer (Christopher Brown, Stroud)
10,000m
David Melville (Harvard Uni)
110m Hurdles
Tade Ojora (Caryl Smith-Gilbert, Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow)
Josh Zeller (Adrian Brown, Bracknell AC)
400m Hurdles
Alastair Chalmers (Matt Elias, Guernsey)
Alex Knibbs (Nick Dakin, Amber Valley & Erewash)
High Jump
Joel Khan (Deidre Elmhurst, Worcester)
Hammer
Ben Hawkes (Adrian Palmer, Cardiff)
4 x 100m Relay
Dominic Ashwell (Marvin Rowe, Shaftesbury Barnet)
Jeremiah Azu (Helen Patricia James, Cardiff)
Shemar Boldizsar (Stephen David Loft, Harlow)
Jona Efoloko (Clarence Callender, Sale Harriers Manchester)
Brandon Mingeli (Ryan Freckleton, Cambridge Harriers)
Destiny Ogali (Winston Thomas, Dacorum & Tring)
4 x 400m Relay
Joe Brier (Matt Elias, Swansea)
Alex Haydock-Wilson (Michael Baker, Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow)
Alex Knibbs (Nick Dakin, Amber Valley & Erewash)
Alastair Chalmers (Matt Elias, Guernsey)
Lewis Davey (Newham & Essex Beagles)
Ethan Brown (Clarence Callender, Bromley & Blackheath)
Aidan Leeson (Glyn Hawkes, Rugby & Northampton)
Women
100m
Kristal Awuah (Matthew Thomas, Herne Hill)
Alisha Rees (Leon Baptiste, Edinburgh AC)
200m
Georgina Adam (Joe McDonnell, Loughborough Students)
Amber Anning (Brighton & Hove)
Kiah Dubarry-Gay (Clarence Callender, Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets)
400m
Yasmin Liverpool (Stewart Marshall, Coventry)
800m
Izzy Boffey (Luke Gunn, Enfield & Haringey)
Khahisa Mhlanga (Mick Judd, Herts Phoenix)
1500m
Erin Wallace (Andy Young, Giffnock North)
5000m
Eleanor Bolton (Chris Barnes, Ribble Valley Harriers)
Izzy Fry (Mick Woods, Newbury)
10000m
Eleanor Bolton (Chris Barnes, Ribble Valley Harriers)
100m Hurdles
Jenna Blundell (Toni Minichiello, Bristol & West)
Anastasia Davies (John Blackie, Blackheath & Bromley)
400m Hurdles
Zoe Pollock (Nick Dakin, Oxford City)
3000m Steeplechase
Sarah Tait (Linda Smith, Lasswade)
Elise Thorner (Wells City)
Pole Vault
Molly Caudrey (Stuart Caudery, Thames Valley)
Long Jump
Lucy Hadaway (Matt Barton, City of York)
Javelin
Bekah Walton (David Turner, Blackheath & Bromley)
Hammer
Anna Purchase (Rob Careless, Notts)
Tara Simpson-Sullivan (Robert Halliwell, Wigan & District)
Heptathlon
Holly Mills (Laura Turner-Alleyne, Andover)
Jade O’Dowda (Toni Minichiello, Newham & Essex Beagles)
Jodie Smith (Laura Turner-Alleyne, Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow)
4 x 100m Relay
Georgina Adam (Joe McDonnell, Loughborough Students)
Kristal Awuah (Matthew Thomas, Herne Hill)
Ellie Booker (Lewis Samuel, Rotherham)
Kiah Dubarry-Gay (Clarence Callender, Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets)
Cassie-Ann Pemberton (Sharon Morris, Birchfield Harriers)
Alisha Rees (Leon Baptiste, Edinburgh AC)
4x 400m Relay
Amber Anning (Brighton & Hove)
Izzy Boffey (Luke Gunn, Enfield & Haringey)
Hannah Kelly (Les Hall, Bolton)
Yasmin Liverpool (Stewart Marshall, Coventry)
Zoe Pollock (Nick Dakin, Oxford City)