06 May 2016

Tom Bosworth (coach: Andi Drake) leads the British Athletics team challenge at the IAAF World Race Walk Team Championships that will take place in Rome this weekend.

Having been the venue for one of the greatest moments in British Race Walking history when Don Thompson won the 1960 Olympic 50km Bosworth will be looking to continue his great 2016 form.

Bosworth has set British records over 3,000 meters and 5,000 metres indoors and produced a stunning breakthrough performance in Dudince in Slovakia in March smashing Ian McCombie’s 28 year old British Record over 20km when clocking 80.41. Therefore he will be looking to beat his 24^th place in last summer’s World Championships in Beijing.

He will be joined in the men’s 20km by Dominic King (George Nibre) who in March won the British Olympic Trial over 50km in Dudince to secure his place in Rio when he clocked 4.08.00.

Britain has high hopes in the Junior Men’s 10km. Callum Wilkinson (Mick Graham) set a British Record of 41.31 in Coventry in March. He has since won international races in Dudince and Podébrady and is ranked 9^th on season best of those entered. He will be supported by Cameron Corbishley (Andi Drake) who set a PB of 43.05 and Guy Thomas (Martin Rush) who also clocked a personal best of 43.15 in Podébrady. They will both have the British Athletics qualifying time of 42.20 for the World Junior Championships in their sights as well as to challenge for a top six team finish.

Making her debut in the World Team Championships, Welsh record holder Bethan Davies (Andi Drake) will target the British Qualifying time of 93.00 for Rio in the Women’s 20km. She moved to second on the UK All-time list over 10km, when clocking 44.59 in Coventry in March.

In the Junior Women’s 10 Kilometres, Emma Achurch (Steve Arnold) is ranked 14^th of those entered on Seasons Best and comes into the event on the back of a personal best of 47.49 she clocked when  finishing 4^th in Podébrady. She will be targeting the 47.00 British Athletics qualifying standard for the Wold Junior Championships and Vicky Lupton’s British Junior Record of 47.30.

You can follow the action form Rome with results and live splits at http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-world-race-walking-team-championships

Live Streaming and TV Coverage http://roma2016.org/content/Mondiali-di-marcia-Roma-2016-in-TV/71513

Follow @UKRacewalkNews for live updates on the British team