UK Athletics has today announced the team which will represent the country at the European Throwing Cup in Leiria, Portugal on 12-13 March 2022.

12 athletes will head to the annual European Athletics event as several athletes’ target qualification marks for this summer’s World and European Championships.

Katie Head (coach: Paul Head) has been one of the in-form throwers in the country so far this season, achieving a mark of 69.72m twice which moved her to second on the UK all-time list behind Olympic medallist, Sophie Hitchon. The Newham and Essex Beagles athlete will be joined by Jessica Mayho (John Pearson, Birchfield) who threw the best season opener of her career at Sunday’s UK Winter Long Throws Championships – a mark of 68.11m.

Belgrade-bound Scott Lincoln (Paul Wilson) will warm up for the World Athletics Indoor Championships with the outdoor competition in Portugal. The City of York athlete won bronze at the event last year, and has made vast improvements in recent times, throwing a personal best of 21.28m last year.

Elsewhere, 2016 Olympian Chris Bennett (Andy Frost, Shaftesbury Barnet) – and silver medallist at this event in 2021 – will compete in the senior men’s hammer throw competition in Portugal.

A trio of U23 athletes have been selected including Charlotte Payne (Paul Dickenson, Reading) who has competed at several age group championships for GB & NI, in the hammer. Elsewhere, Serena Vincent (Mike Winch, City of Portsmouth) has been called-up for the women’s shot put, and Taia Tunstall (Stuart Carlaw, Harrow) in the discus.

Team Leader, Shaun Pickering, said, ““Following a very competitive event at the UK Winter Long Throws Championships at the weekend, we are pleased to be taking a team of 12 to Portugal for the European Throwing Cup, with an opportunity for athletes to prepare and qualify for the summer’s Championships and Games, and test themselves against competitive European fields. It also serves as a stepping stone to help those developing athletes to bridge the gap to world-class senior level and qualify for future Championships.”

The British team for the European Throwing Cup in Leiria, Portugal on 12-13 March 2022:

Senior Women’s Hammer

Katie Head (Paul Head, Newham and Essex Beagles)

Jessica Mayho (John Pearson, Birchfield)

Senior Women’s Discus

Kirsty Law (Zane Duquemin, Sale Harriers Manchester)

Senior Women’s Shot Put

Amelia Strickler (Zane Duquemin, Thames Valley)

Senior Women’s Javelin

Bekah Walton (David Turner, Loughborough Students)

Senior Men’s Hammer

Chris Bennett (Andy Frost, Shaftesbury Barnet)

Senior Men’s Discus

Nick Percy (Zane Duquemin, Shaftesbury Barnet)

Gregory Thompson (self-coached, Shaftesbury Barnet)

Senior Men’s Shot Put

Scott Lincoln (Paul Wilson, City of York)

U23 Women’s Hammer

Charlotte Payne (Paul Dickenson, Reading)

U23 Women’s Discus

Taia Tunstall (Stuart Carlaw, Harrow)

U23 Women’s Shot Put

Serena Vincent (Mike Winch, City of Portsmouth)

[published at 13:30]