20 October 2015

In the second part of our introductions to the new team members of the British Athletics squad in Doha, we take a look at the eight female debutants who will be looking to make an impression over the ten days of action at the IPC Athletics World Championships….

Georgie Hermitage (coach: Paul McGregor) – T37 100m, 400m and 4x100m relay

Hermitage was thrown into the public eye after the Anniversary Games in London in July. In addition to taking the win, she also improved her own T37 400m world record to 62.48 inside the Stadium at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. After been inspired by London 2012 and giving birth to her daughter, Hermitage started training again and has enjoyed a rapid rise in the sport. She now prepares to face the world’s best in the T37 100m and 400m before wrapping up her championships in the 4x100m relay.

Hermitage commented: “It’s a very surreal world; you are literally in a bubble. As one of the 14 athletes who will be making their senior international debut, the holding camp has been all about getting to know all my teammates.

“To be rubbing shoulders with the likes of David Weir has left me a little star struck. I still see them in a completely different light – they’re like gods of the sport and I’m just the little rookie that has come in. It’s nice to see them in this environment because you do get to know them as normal people and they’ve all been really welcoming to everyone here on the camp.”

Kadeena Cox (Brian Scobie) – T37 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay 

Cox will make her first appearance at an IPC World Championships over the sprints. The Yorkshire athlete has been involved in athletics for many years; however, a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis  in 2014 changed the course of her sprinting career. However, one year on, she holds the 2015 world lead over 100m in the T37 class and heads into the event in confident mood.  

Cox commented: “I have the world lead at the moment and for me, I think I’d be quite disappointed with anything below gold. It’s my first time at a World Championships and it’s been fun. I’ve been welcomed in and everyone talks to everyone, so the atmosphere is really good out here in the Torch Hotel bubble.”

Kare Adenegan (Job King) – T34 100m, 400m, 800m

At 14 years old, Adenegan is the youngest member of the British Athletics squad out in Qatar. She has enjoyed a breakthrough season in the sport, claiming the scalp of compatriot Hannah Cockroft last month over 400m. That ended the Yorkshire woman’s unbeaten record in her senior career, and the young Coventry athlete will have another chance to take on her British rival, and has an outside chance of winning a maiden medal for GB & NI.

Inspired after watching the Paralympic Games in 2012, Adenegan started doing athletics and joined Job King’s group which includes Paralympian Mel Nicholls. She combines training with her studies and goes to one of the oldest schools in the country, Bablake School which opened in 1344.

Sam Bowen (Anthony Hughes) – F44 Discus and Shot Put

Bowen has been involved with Disability Sport for Wales over the past five years and trains in Cardiff. She competed alongside teammate Claire Harvey in the GB sitting volleyball team at the Paralympic Games in London, reaching the quarter finals stage. The 29 year-old boxed for Wales when she was younger but has always had an interest in athletics, and under the tutelage of Anthony Hughes, she has competed in the throws since 2013.

Polly Maton (Colin Baross) – T47 Long Jump

Futures athlete Polly Maton has enjoyed success at the junior level, winning three gold medals at the IWAS Junior Games in 2014 in the 100m, 200m and long jump. She was first spotted as an 11 year-old at an athletics meeting in Exeter and she has rapidly improved ever since. The Devizes-based athlete has progressed to earn a call-up to the Championships in Doha after impressing over the last year, significantly extending her PB in the long jump to 5.27m.

She will compete on her 16th birthday on 23 October – what better way to celebrate than with your first senior international cap.  

Sabrina Fortune (Ian Robinson) – F20 Shot Put

Fortune has been involved in the sport since she was an U13 and at the age of 18, she earns her first senior call-up. After first taking up athletics after watching her brother compete in the sport, she has not looked back and enjoyed a gradual progression in the shot put. The Deeside athlete threw a best of 12.03m in the shot in August and will be hoping for another strong showing in warmer climes. The 20 year-old finished fifth at the IPC Grand Final in London this year, her first taste of the big stage.

Kylie Grimes (Philip Peat) – F51 Club Throw & T51 100m

Grimes started her athletics career in 2014 but it has hit full throttle in 2015. After competing for Great Britain in wheelchair rugby at the London 2012 Paralympics, the 27 year-old decided to change sports and has established herself as a highly competitive club thrower. However, she will also take on the 100m in the combined T51/52 class, which shows her versatility as a sports woman. 

Grimes is focused on a strong showing in Doha but is already speaking about how to improve over the winter as she looks to earn a place on the plane to Rio next year. 

Claire Harvey (Shelley Holroyd) – F55 Discus, Javelin and Shot Put

Harvey competes at her first athletics world championships after captaining the women’s sitting volleyball team, bowing out at the London Paralympic Games. She only started athletics this year and under coach Shelley Holroyd, she has seen significant improvement in the throws. The Ashford athlete has a busy schedule in Doha, competing in the F55 shot put, javelin and discus.

Harvey has a Master of Science degree in Criminology and Management from the University of Cambridge and has held several significant roles, including the assistant director of the Youth Sport Trust.