The World Athletics Under-20 Championships are about to begin in Cali, Colombia, and a talented Great Britain and Northern Ireland team are getting set to tackle the challenge.

The first day of competition is Monday 1^st August, and on the eve of the event, it has been announced the team will be led by Captains Sophie Ashurst (coach: Andy Ashurst, club: Sale Harriers Manchester) and Sam Reardon (Nigel Stickings, Blackheath & Bromley).

Ashurst, a 19-year-old pole-vaulter said, “To captain the team feels really special, I am very honoured. I want to bring a positive, uplifting energy for everyone and be there for the team, if anyone needs anything.

“I have experience from the European Championships last year, so I want to give good vibes to anyone who needs anything. I am really excited.”

Reardon, 18, takes part in the 800m and will call on his experience from the British senior team, in the 4x400m relay team at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade in March.

He said of the captaincy selection, “I didn’t think I would get it – there are a lot of great athletes here, it could have been any one of us. It’s a great honour, I was extremely happy to find out it was me.

“Every single one of the athletes here has proven they should be here with their results all season. I am really excited to see them all, and watch them compete on the world stage and see how they do.”

The team boasts 11 athletes ranked in the top 10 of the event final entry, with Jeriel Quainoo (Ryan Freckleton, Blackheath & Bromley), Abigail Ives (Luke Gunn, Basildon) and Success Eduan (Anita Richardson, Sale Harriers) amongst the most highly ranked.

Sprinter Quainoo is ranked third after recording a 20.40 PB at the Muller UK Athletics Championships where he won the bronze medal. The 800m athlete Abigail Ives is ranked sixth with an impressive 2.01.88 achieved at the Muller Diamond League Birmingham in May.

There are several athletes included in the team who have already tasted podium success at European Junior level. Eduan and Yemi Mary John (Alan James, Woodford Green Essex Ladies) won medals at the European Under-20 Championships in the 200m and 400m respectively last year. They will be determined to build on their European success at World level.

The team also includes a number of athletes who struck gold at the recent European U18 Championships in Jerusalem. On the track, Nia Wedderburn-Goodison (Harrow) broke the European Championship record with her fine run of 11.39 seconds in the 100m. It was British gold in the 200m for Faith Akinbileje (John Blackie, Blackheath and Bromley). The teenager can further develop her experience as part of the sprint relay squad in Cali.

There are individual spots for hurdlers Mia McIntosh [100mH] (Jake Awe, Harrow) and Ophelia Pye [400mH] (Dave Hemery, Marlborough Athletics) who also claimed European U18 titles in Jerusalem.

In the field, another young athlete Cleo Agyepong (John Hillier, Blackheath & Bromley) will be adding to her golden success story in Jerusalem with an appearance at U20 World level in the shot put.

Ben East (Luke Angell, Team Kennet) is also hoping to navigate success in Colombia. The teenager impressed with his throw of 73.49m to claim the silver medal in javelin against his senior peers at the Muller UK Athletics Championships.

Elsewhere in the team, Ethan Hussey (Andrew Henderson, Leeds City) is selected over both the 800m and 1500m. He enters the competition with a ranking place of 9 over the longer distance. Also ranked in the top 10 are Marli Jessop (Scott Grace, Shaftesbury Barnet) in 100mH; Johnny Livingstone (self-coached, Exeter) in 5000m, and in heptathlon, Ella Rush (David Feeney, Amber Valley & Erewash).

Sammy Ball (Michael Dyer, Reading AC) takes part in the Decathlon following his impressive 7000+ point score in May, and Eloise Hind (Marcia Marriott, Oxford City) joins Rush in the Heptathlon.

Team leader Trevor Painter said, “It’s all about getting experience and there is no better place to do that, than at a major Championships. These young athletes have had to learn to deal with so much. There has been a long journey, acclimatisation, time differences, a different culture and lots of logistics.

“There are always challenges in big international competitions and this is fantastic experience for later in their careers when we hope to see them in Olympic and World Championship Teams in the future.

“I am looking forward to seeing how the athletes cope with the environment and all the challenges they face. This is the perfect development opportunity to take forward in their future careers.

“Not many of the Team have been involved in GB&NI Juniors before, but there is a really good vibe amongst the group. We look forward to getting started on Day one.”

Read how to follow the Championships HERE.

A timetable for the Championships can be found HERE.

The Great Britain & Northern Ireland team for the World Athletics U20 Championships:

Women

100m

Joy Eze (Michael Donnelly, Gateshead)

Nia Wedderburn-Goodison (Harrow)

200m

Success Eduan (Anita Richardson, Sale Harriers)

Sophie Walton (Trevor Williams, Horwich) 

400m

Yemi Mary John (Alan James, Woodford Green Essex Ladies)

800m

Iris Downes (Colin Lancaster, Shrewsbury)

Abigail Ives (Luke Gunn, Basildon)

100m Hurdles

Marli Jessop (Scott Grace, Shaftesbury Barnet)

Mia McIntosh (Jake Awe, Harrow)

400m Hurdles

Ophelia Pye (Dave Hemery, Marlborough Athletics)

4x100m Relay

Faith Akinbileje (John Blackie, Blackheath and Bromley)

Alyson Bell (Edinburgh Uni)

Success Eduan (Anita Richardson, Sale Harriers)

Joy Eze (Michael Donnelly, Gateshead)

Sophie Walton (Trevor Williams, Horwich) 

Nia Wedderburn-Goodison (Harrow)

4x400m Relay

Jessica Astill (Paul Keeble, Stevenage & Herts)

Abigail Ives (Luke Gunn, Basildon)

Yemi Mary John (Alan James, Woodford Green Essex Ladies)

Poppy Malik (Grant Barker, Notts)

Etty Sisson (Grant Barker, Charnwood)

Pole Vault

Sophie Ashurst (Andy Ashurst, Sale Harriers)

Gemma Tutton (Richard Pilling, Lewes)

Long Jump

Molly Palmer (Lukasz Zawila, Charwood)

Shot

Cleo Agyepong (John Hillier, Blackheath & Bromley)

Discus

Zara Obamakinwa (Mark Chapman, Blackheath & Bromley)

Heptathlon

Ella Rush (David Feeney, Amber Valley & Erewash)

Eloise Hind (Marcia Marriott, Oxford City)

Men

100m

Michael Onilogbo (Carl Graham, Newham & Essex Beagles)

200m

Jeriel Quainoo (Ryan Freckleton, Blackheath & Bromley)

800m

Ethan Hussey (Andrew Henderson, Leeds City)

Samuel Reardon (Nigel Stickings, Blackheath & Bromley)

1500m

Ethan Hussey (Andrew Henderson, Leeds City)

3000m

Will Barnicoat (Tim Eglen, Aldershot, Farnham & District)

5000m

Johnny Livingstone (self-coached, Exeter)

3000m Steeplechase

Thomas Bridger (Mark Vile, Cambridge & Coleridge AC)

400m Hurdles

Onyekachukwu Okoh (Jade Harding, Chelmsford)

4x100m Relay

Olu Esan (Crawley)

Michael Onilogbo (Carl Graham, Newham & Essex Beagles)

Medwin Odamtten (Gladys Bird, Woodford Green Essex Ladies)

Tyler Panton (Peter Griffiths, Woking)

Jeriel Quainoo (Ryan Freckleton, Blackheath & Bromley)

4x400m Relay

Reuben Henry-Daire (Paul Herrington, Reading)

Bayleigh Lawton (Charlene Thomas, Spenborough)

Cameron McGregor (James Wright, Rugby & Northampton)

Onyekachukwu Okoh (Jade Harding, Chelmsford)

Samuel Reardon (Nigel Stickings, Blackheath & Bromley)

Brodie Young (James McMenemy, Airdrie Harriers)

Pole Vault

Lazarus Benjamin (Matt Cullen, Sale Harriers Manchester)

Javelin

Michael Allison (Tom Dobbing, Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow)

Ben East (Luke Angell, Team Kennet)

Hammer

Owen Merritt (Matt Spicer, Yate)

Decathlon

Sammy Ball (Michael Dyer, Reading AC)

4 x 400m Mixed Relay

Yemi Mary John (Alan James, Woodford Green Essex Ladies)

Poppy Malik (Grant Barker, Notts)

Cameron McGregor (James Wright, Rugby & Northampton)

Samuel Reardon (Nigel Stickings, Blackheath & Bromley)

Etty Sisson (Grant Barker, Charnwood)

Brodie Young (James McMenemy, Airdrie Harriers)