12 April 2016 

British Athletics’ has today announced the seven-strong team heading to the IAAF World Race Walking Team Championships in Rome on 7-8 May 2016.

Tom Bosworth (coach: Andi Drake) has been in outstanding form in 2016, improving the British 20km walk record last month with victory at the IAAF Race Walking Challenge in Slovakia. The 1:20.41 clocking took 82 seconds off the previous best set in 1988 by Ian Mccombie and earned the 26 year-old a notable victory over a strong field. He will be joined by 2012 Olympian Dominic King (George Nibre) in the senior men’s race who last competed in these championships over the 20km distance, 12 years ago. This will be his fifth appearance at the event. 

The junior men’s team took first place at the European Athletics meeting in Podebrady, Czech Republic last weekend, competing for England. Callum Wilkinson (Mick Graham) won the event in 41:33, just two seconds outside his British junior record, and will target the mark once again in Rome. Wilkinson, who finished seventh at the European Junior Championships last summer, is joined by Guy Thomas (Martin Rush) and Cameron Corbishley (Drake).

The trio finished sixth at the European Cup of Race Walking last summer, the highest ever finish for a British junior men’s team at the event. They will be hoping to replicate a similar strong performance in the Italian capital.

Bethan Davies (Drake) goes in the senior women’s race looking to continue the form which saw her set a national indoor record over 3000m in February. The Cardiff athlete goes over the 20km distance next month where she will be looking to extend her own Welsh record of 1:36.07.

In the junior women’s race, Emma Achurch (Steve Arnold) will compete over 10km, fresh from equalling her personal best over the distance last weekend, clocking 47:49 in Podebrady.

The British Athletics team for the IAAF World Race Walking Team Championships in Rome on 7-8 May 2016:

Senior Men

Tom Bosworth (Andi Drake)

Dominic King (George Nibre)

Senior Women

Bethan Davies (Andi Drake)

Junior Men

Cameron Corbishley (Andi Drake)

Guy Thomas (Martin Rush)

Callum Wilkinson (Mick Graham)

Junior Women

Emma Achurch (Steve Arnold)