3 March 2015

Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Mark Dry will lead the team at the European Cup Winter Throws held in Leiria, Portugal over the weekend of 14-15 March.

The six-strong team will compete at the event which is intended to counterbalance the fact that indoor athletics meetings cannot host the longer throwing events.

Dry rose into the public eye after sealing a Commonwealth medal at his home Games in the hammer throw last year. The Scottish crowd roared the 27 year-old onto the podium places, and he will be aiming for an encouraging season opener. He will be joined in Portugal by fellow countryman Chris Bennett (coach: Mick Jones) who finished 12th in the hammer final at Hampden Park last July.

Zane Duquemin, fresh from victory in the shot put at the Sainsbury’s Indoor British Championships last month, is doubling up at the European Cup. The Loughborough-based athlete will compete in the shot put and discus in under two weeks’ time. After reaching the Commonwealth finals in both of these events last year, the Jersey man will be seeking further improvement to his throws in Leiria.

Three athletes have been selected to represent GB & NI in the U23 competitions including World Junior finalist, Taylor Campbell (Paul Dickenson) in the men’s hammer, and Scotland’s Rachel Hunter (Chris Black) in the women’s equivalent. 21 year-old Greg Thompson (Neville Thompson) has been picked for the U23 discus and will look to improve on his personal best of 56.90m set last year.

Full Great Britain & Northern Ireland team for the European Cup Winter Throws:

Men

Discus

Zane Duquemin

Hammer

Mark Dry

Chris Bennett (Mick Jones)

Shot Put

Zane Duquemin

U23 Discus

Greg Thompson (Neville Thompson)

U23 Hammer

Taylor Campbell (Paul Dickenson)

Women

U23 Hammer

Rachel Hunter (Chris Black)