15 July 2015

The Great Britain and Northern Ireland team will begin their campaign at the IAAF World Youth Championships on Wednesday 15 July at the Pascal Guerrero Stadium. The 27-strong team are prepared for five days of scintillating action as they take on the best youth athletes in the world.

Triple jumper Naomi Ogbeta (Tom Cullen, Trafford) and 800m star Ben Greenwood (Catriona Helen Taverdale, Perth Strathtay) were chosen last night by their fellow athletes to captain the side over the next five days of competition. The pair were clearly delighted to be given the honour of leading the British team on their international debuts.

Ogbeta said: “It’s a huge opportunity and it is going to be a great experience. I’m really honoured to have been chosen to be the captain of the British Youth team because I only started the sport properly a few years ago so I’m really happy to be in this position. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to be a captain again at Junior and Senior Championships in the future.

“I’m hoping to qualify for the final – we are all very close in the rankings so I’m hoping everything comes together and my run up goes well so I can get a really big jump and a PB.”

The 17 year-old added: “I am loving the experience so far, especially taking selfies with all the other nations because you don’t get the chance to do this at our age group very often.”

The young Scot, Greenwood also commented: “It is a great opportunity to be a captain on my international debut, it should be good fun. I told them all the hard work was getting selected for the team and that they should enjoy the experience, make the most of it and not to be nervous.”

On his own inspirations: “I targeted making this team in 2013 – I saw the World Youth Championships in Donetsk and was inspired by Kyle Langford winning bronze there. I went to my coach and said I’m going to be there in 2015”.

Hannah Brier (Neal Merry, Swansea) is looking to continue her marvellous 2015 season and is ranked sixth in the 2015 world youth list over 100m. Brier clocked 11.44 at the England Athletics U20/U23 Championships last month and the Welsh junior record holder will take on a world class field including USA’s Candace Hill who ran a World Youth record of 10.98 last month. 

The men’s sprints will be highly contested with Oliver Bromby (Sara MacDonald-Gray/Gary MacDonald-Gray, Southampton) and Rechmial Miller (Ryan Freckleton, Hercules Wimbledon) representing their country over 100m. Brighton Phoenix’s Toby Harries (Jon Bigg) and Edinburgh’s Cameron Tindle (Henry Gray) take on the best in the world over 200m and will be targeting a spot in the final.

Catherine Reid (Di Shimmel, Manx) was competing in the Island Games a fortnight ago for Isle of Man but today she will line up alongside Hannah Williams (Colin Gaynor, Herts Phoenix) in the 400m. Additionally, Chesterfield’s Alicia Barrett (Daniel Duke, Chesterfield) and Hope Sarti (Glyn Peckham, Guildford & Godalming) will be battling for places in the later rounds of the 100m hurdles.

In the middle distance events, Sabrina Sinha (Mark Newell/Peter Mullervy, Cambridge Harriers) and Harriet Knowles-Jones (Paul Roden, Warrington) toe the line in the women’s 1500m. Both enjoyed success on the cross country circuit last winter but will have to contend with warmer conditions in Cali this week. In the men’s equivalent, James Gormley (John Wood, City of Sheffield), who only took up the sport seriously two years ago, and Markhim Lonsdale (David Lowes, Crook) will line up. 

Alex Yee (Kenneth Pike, Kent), who has a PB of 8:14.80 starts his Championships on Thursday over 3000m. Scot Carys McAulay (Philip Hicken, Warrington) will compete over 800m with Erme Valley’s William Battershill (Kirk Salmon) in the 2000m steeplechase.

In the field, Emma Hamplett (David Parker, Birchfield Harriers) and Ada’ora Chigbo (Ken Holmes, North Somerset) will kick off their Championships on the opening day of competition in the qualification pools for the women’s javelin and high jump respectively. 

Joel Leon Benitez (Alan Richardson, Notts) will be aiming high in the pole vault with Jake Norris (Paul Dickenson, Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow) and George Evans (Duncan Flockhart, Shaftesbury Barnet) looking for big throws in the hammer and discus respectively later in the week. Emily Wright (Dan Cossins, Bristol & West), who celebrated her 17th birthday on Monday, starts her long jump campaign on Saturday. 

The combined events will cover the first four days of the programme with Sam Talbot (Eldon Lake, Exeter) making his bow in the first decathlon at a World Youth Championships on day one and two. Michelle Hughes (Tony Benton, Havering) and Niamh Emerson (David Feeney, Amber Valley) will begin the heptathlon on Friday morning.

The Great Britain and Northern Ireland team selected for the IAAF World Youth Championships in Cali, Colombia on 15-19 July: 

Men: 

100m: Oliver Bromby (Sara MacDonald-Gray/Gary MacDonald-Gray, Southampton), Rechmial Miller (Ryan Freckleton, Hercules Wimbledon)

200m: Toby Harries (Jon Bigg, Brighton Phoenix), Cameron Tindle (Henry Gray, Edinburgh)

800m: Ben Greenwood (Catriona Helen Taverdale, Perth Strathtay)

1500m: James Gormley (John Wood, City of Sheffield), Markhim Lonsdale (David Lowes, Crook)

3000m: Alex Yee (Kenneth Pike, Kent)

2000m Steeplechase: William Battershill (Kirk Salmon, Erme Valley)

Pole Vault: Joel Leon Benitez (Alan Richardson, Notts)

Discus: George Evans (Duncan Flockhart, Shaftesbury Barnet)

Hammer: Jake Norris (Paul Dickenson, Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow)

Decathlon: Sam Talbot (Eldon Lake, Exeter)

Women: 

100m: Hannah Brier (Neal Merry, Swansea)

400m: Catherine Reid (Di Shimell, Manx), Hannah Williams (Colin Gaynor, Herts Phoenix)

800m: Carys McAuley (Philip Hicken, Warrington)

1500m: Harriet Knowles-Jones (Paul Roden, Warrington), Sabrina Sinha (Mark Newell, Peter Mullervy, Cambridge Harriers)

100m Hurdles: Alicia Barrett (Daniel Duke, Chesterfield), Hope Sarti (Glyn Peckham, Guildford & Godalming)

High Jump: Ada’ora Chigbo (Ken Holmes, North Somerset)

Long Jump: Emily Wright (Dan Cossins, Bristol & West)

Triple Jump: Naomi Ogbeta (Tom Cullen, Trafford)

Javelin: Emma Hamplett (David Parker, Birchfield Harriers)

Heptathlon: Niamh Emerson (David Feeney, Amber Valley), Michelle Hughes (Tony Benton, Havering)

For schedule and live results, follow the link: http://www.iaaf.org/competitions/iaaf-world-youth-championships 

You can watch the IAAF World Youth Championships via the live feed at http://www.watchathletics.com/schedule/event-date/2015-7-15 or there are highlights on British Eurosport 2 each day from Thursday 16 July – please check TV listings for confirmation on broadcast times.