18 March 2011

A team of seven athletes will proudly pull on Aviva GB&NI vests this weekend at the European Cup Winter Throws competition in Sofia, Bulgaria from 19-20 March to compete in an early season international.

At this point in the year the competition will give an indication of what shape the British throwers are in following winter training and for the shot putters an indoor season. For James Campbell (coach: Mick Hill), who will compete in the men’s javelin, it is just his second outing of 2011 – as Javelin does not feature indoors- his first was a win at the Loughborough Winter Long Throws, where he placed first with 72.83m.

Still competing as U23 age group and having represented Wales successfully with a sixth place 58.91m finish in the final in Delhi at the Commonwealth Games, Brett Morse (coach: Nigel Bevan) will hope to build on his 2010 number one ranking for discuss.

Promising and multi talented thrower Eden Francis (coach: Glenys Morton) will compete in two events in Bulgaria. Primarily she is there to challenge in the discus but will also double up with a second effort in the sot. Francis, a Birchfield Harrier, ended the 2010 season ranked number one in the country for discus at both U23 and senior level.

AVIVA GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND TEAM

MEN

Discus: Brett Morse (Nigel Bevan) Birchfield

Hammer: Alex Smith (coach: Shane Peacock) Sale; Mark Dry (coach: Derek Everly) Woodford Green & Essex Ladies

Javelin: James Campbell (coach: Mick Hill) Cheltenham

WOMEN

Discus: Eden Francis (coach: Glenys Morton) Birchfield ; Jade Nicholls (coach: Andrew Neal) Shaftesbury Barnet

Shot: Eden Francis (coach: Glenys Morton) Birchfield