26 June 2015 

Six British Olympians, five Great Britain senior internationals and a further seven junior internationals and Commonwealth Games representatives make up a star-studded entry list for British Milers’ Club Grand Prix at Watford on Saturday evening (26 June)

The Olympic athletes who have entered Watford as a final sharpener head of the Sainsbury’s British Championships next weekend include Laura Weightman (800m), Hannah England (800m), Ross Murray (1500m), Steph Twell (1500m) and Jemma Simpson (1500m).

Weightman is UK No 2 1500 this season after clocking 4:04.70 behind Laura Muir in Oslo recently as both women ran inside the qualifying standard for the IAAF World Championships in Beijing. Like many of the athletes entered, Weightman, who was third in the European Championships and runner-up in the Commonwealth Games last year, will be looking for a strong performance ahead of her quest for a second successive British title in Birmingham.

The 23-year-old Morpeth Harriers’ 800m best of 2:02.52 dates back to 2012 and will go up against her GB & NI teammate England, who is also stepping down from the 1500m to race over the shorter distance.

The quickest Brit this season in the field is Shelayna Oskan-Clarke. The 25-year-old GB international from Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow runner lies fifth in the UK Rankings after improving her PB to 2:01.27 in Belgium last month.

Theo Blundell has been setting the pace in the men’s 800m this year and after his first Grand Prix win in Trafford he set a PB of 1:47.14 in Belgium to put him top of the UK Rankings.

The 19-year-old Birchfield Harrier heads a field that also includes UK No 3 and fellow U23 athlete Jamie Webb and top junior Kyle Langford, who has recently secured his place on the GB & NI team for the European Junior Championships in Sweden.

The women’s 1500m sees Twell, Simpson take on Commonwealth finalist Jessica Judd. On current form former Olympian Twell is the quickest in the field with a season’s best of 4:10.90 recorded in the Birmingham Diamond League race earlier this month.

On top of her 15:13.82 in America last month, which puts her top of the UK Rankings for 5000m, it shows that the 25-year-old Mick Woods coached athlete is in terrific form.

The 1500m may no longer be her No 1 event but her recent mark left Twell fifth in the UK Rankings and just outside the World qualifying mark of 4:10.00.

Simpson has steered clear of the track this summer and her only form has been two road miles with a seventh (4:46) in the Bupa Westminster Mile and second woman in the City of London event in 4:41. However, last year she went sub 4:10 three times and will definitely be a serious contender going into the race.

Charlie Grice, Ross Murray and Jake Wightman have been three of the most exciting young runners to emerge in the 1500m in recent years and they spearhead yet another quality entry along with Dave Bishop and Tom Farrell, who ran 3:39.25 in America earlier this month to follow up his 13:17.87 in May which puts him top of the UK Rankings.

Elsewhere, Jonny Mellor and Jonathan Davies will also go head-to-head in the 5000m.

Fans can watch the action in Watford from 5pm on Saturday for just £5