30 June 2015

British Athletics today named a 35-strong Great Britain & Northern Ireland team for the European Athletics Under 23 Championships in Tallinn, including Commonwealth Games long jump silver medallist Jazmin Sawyers (coach: Alan Lerwill), Europe’s number one ranked U23 hammer thrower Nick Miller (John Baumann), the in form Rhianwedd Price (Houston Franks) and a 4x400m women’s relay team that will be aiming to top the podium.

The women’s 400m provide GB & NI with an excellent chance of topping the podium, both in the individual and relay events.  Seren Bundy-Davies (Stephen Ball) and Kirsten McAslan (Trevor Painter) hold very good chances of podium finishes in the individual event.  Bundy-Davies is a strong favourite for the gold medal after jumping straight to the top of the European U23 rankings this weekend whilst winning in Nivelles, Belgium and lowering her personal best to 51.72, in her first outdoor 400m race of the summer.

Both are included in a very strong 4x400m women’s relay team, which will also be fancied to finish on the top of the podium and includes Zoey Clark (Eddie McKenna), Victoria Ohuruogu (Chris Zah), Amy Allcock and Jessica Turner (both Nick Dakin).

Sawyers and Miller will take to the field in Estonia with strong chances of claiming their respective U23 European titles, with the latter leading the European U23 rankings.  Miller has been the standout age group hammer thrower this season, also coming second in the European Team Championships in Cheboksary, Russia (a senior level event).

Also coming off the back of a very impressive British debut performance at the European Team Championships in Russia is Rhianwedd Price.  Racing in the 1500m alongside Melissa Courtney (Mark Pauley), Price is another who will be looking to make the podium and round off her already very successful season on a high.

U23 Team Leader Alison Wyeth said “British Athletics is in the fortunate position that several of the Under 23 athletes are focusing on the World Championships in Beijing this summer as part of the senior team, and were therefore unavailable for selection. Despite this the team is still a very strong line up, with each athlete selected because of their potential to medal, or achieve at least a top five placing in Tallin.”

This squad strength is shown in abundance in the men’s 110m hurdles, where Britain will be looking to sweep the podium after selecting Europe’s second, third and fourth ranked U23 athletes – David Omoregie (Benke Blomkvist), David King (James Hillier) and Khai Riley-La Borde (Ray Gibbins) respectively.

Another strong event for GBR is the women’s 10000m, where Rhona Auckland (Joyce Hogg) is ranked second in Europe and Alice Wright (David Walker) third, with the inform Becky Straw (Bud Baldaro) completing the trio of medal hopefuls.

Athletes selected in the GB & NI team for the European U23 Championships

Men:

200m – Leon Reid (James Hillier)

800m – Jamie Webb (Adrian Webb); Theo Blundell (Craig Winrow)

1500m – Neil Gourley (Gordon Lockie); Cameron Boyek (David Lowes)

5000m  – Jonathan Davies (Rob McKim)

10,000m – Marc Scott (Steve Gulley);  Kieran Clements (Ricardo Santos)

110mH – David Omoregie (Benke Blomkvist); David King (James Hillier); Khai Riley-La Borde (Ray Gibbins)

High Jump – Chris Kandu (Fuzz Ahmed)

Hammer – Nick Miller (John Baumann)

Women:

 400m – Kirsten McAslan (Trevor Painter); Seren Bundy-Davies (Stephen Ball)

800m – Katie Snowden (Alasdair Donaldson); Adelle Tracey (Craig Winrow)

1500m – Melissa Courtney (Mark Pauley); Rhianwedd Price (Houston Franks)

5000m – Calli Thackery (Joe Franklin); Bethan Knights (Shayla Houlihan)

10,000m – Rhona Auckland (Joyce Hogg); Alice Wright (David Walker); Becky Straw (Bud Baldaro)

100mH – Yasmin Miller (Lloyd Cowan)

400mH – Shona Richards (Marina Armstrong)

3000m S/C – Iona Lake (Pauline Ash); Elizabeth Bird (Peter Farrell)

Long Jump – Jazmin Sawyers (Alan Lerwill)

Shot – Sophie McKinna (Mike Winch)

Hammer – Rachel Hunter (Henry Hunter)

4x400m Relay – Kirsten McAslan; Seren Bundy-Davies; Zoey Clark (Eddie McKenna); Victoria Ohuruogu (Chris Zah); Amy Allcock (Nick Dakin); Jessica Turner (Dakin)