3 March 2011

Accommodated mere meters away from the Palais Omnisport Paris-Bercy Stadium, an Aviva GB&NI team filled with ten debutants, two title holders, a host of podium hungry athletes and one expectant head coach, wait with anticipation to begin their European Indoor Championships campaign.

As the team departed on the Eurostar from London, making their journey to the French capital, spirits were high and that mood continued into the penultimate day of rest before competition, with athletes taking their daily run along the Siene, visiting the training track and checking out the stadium.  

Four medals are expected from the team, following the withdrawal of Jessica Ennis earlier in the week with an inflamed ankle, but Head Coach Charles van Commenee welcomed the team to “surprise him with an unnamed medal” and that “we will know on Sunday who it was from.”

Book-makers would no doubt offer Mo Farah, Dwain Chambers, Jenny Meadows and the men’s 4x400m to step onto the podium at some level.

Following his 5000m record breaking performance at the Aviva Grand Prix in mid February Farah (coach: Alberto Salazar) looks to continue his European medal haul, in his 3000m title defence.

Dwain Chambers will also look to retain his European Indoor title won in the 60m in Turin two years ago. Since that outing in 2009 Chambers has added a World Indoor title to his medal collection and will look to do the same again in Paris.

Jenny Meadows (coach: Trevor Painter) goes in search of the gold medal which has so far eluded her since she shot to prominence in 2009 at the World Championships in Berlin. Running close to the British record again this season the Wigan pocket-rocket has shown she has the form for it.   

The strong men’s 4 x 400m field, made up of frequent podium attendees Nick Leavey (coach: Simon Duberley), Richard Buck (coach: Steve Fudge), Nigel Levine (Coach: Simon Duberley), Richard Strachan (coach: Linford Christie) and Conrad Williams (coach: Linford Christie), should produce silverware for the Aviva GB&NI team trophy cabinet on the final day of competition.

But there is van Commenee’s surprise medal somewhere among the team, who will claim it remains to be seen and can be witnessed during the BBC coverage from Friday 4-6 on BBC1, BB2 and Radio 5Live.

Tom Parsons (coach: Fuzz Ahmed) finally reached the 2.31m he had been threatening throughout 2010 at the Aviva European Trials and UK Championships in February. Not only that, he was desperately close to 2.35m and looked confident whilst trying.

Olympic medallist Kelly Sotherton (coach: Aston Moore) makes her first international outing for the Aviva GB&NI team following a year away from the public eye. The athletics fans are keen to see her back in action and following a solid first season in her new discipline, 400m, she could help the women’s 4 x 400m to the podium.

Team captain Helen Clitheroe (coach: John Nuttall), will deliver the captains speech in the team meeting and will no doubt use her own words of wisdom to promote positive thinking before her 3000m outing tomorrow.  

Newcomers Holly Bleasdale (coach: Julien Raffalli-Ebezant) and Jodie Williams (coach: Mike McCfarlane) both enjoyed a summer of success followed up with an indoor season mixing it with the best of British in the Aviva Series. Both challenged the senior age group, despite being juniors still themselves. For them, Paris is a step up to senior competition which the athletics community is eagerly anticipating.

For results and competition information visit: http://www.paris-2011.com/

Coverage:

Friday 4 March

1500-1800 BBC Red Button; 1630-1800 5 live sports extra

Saturday 5 March

1300-1630, BBC One; 1630-1700, BBC Two

Sunday 6 March

1300-1730, BBC One; 1400-1645 5 live sports extra

AVIVA GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND TEAM

MEN

60m:

Harry Aikines Aryeetey (coach: Michael Khmel) Sutton; Dwain Chambers (coach: self coached) Belgrave Harriers; Joel Fearon (coach: Michael Khmel) Birchfield Harriers

400m:

Richard Buck (coach: Steve Fudge) City of York; Nigel Levine (Coach: Simon Duberley) Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow; Richard Strachan (coach: Linford Christie) Trafford

800m:

Andrew Osagie (coach: Craig Winrow) Harlow AC; Joe Thomas (coach: Arwyn Davies) Cardiff  

1500m:

Nick McCormick (coach: Lindsay Dunn) Morpeth Harriers; Colin McCourt (coach: Craig Winrow) unattached

3000m:

Andy Baddeley (coach: Andrew Hobdell) Harrow; Mo Farah (coach: Alberto Salazar) Newham & Essex Beagles

60m hurdles:

Lawrence Clarke (coach: Malcolm Arnold) Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow

High Jump:

Robbie Grabarz (Coach: Fuzz Ahmed) Newham & Essex Beagles; Tom Parsons (coach: Fuzz Ahmed) Birchfield Harriers

4x400m relay:

Buck; Nick Leavey (coach: Simon Duberley) Woodford Green & Essex Ladies; Luke Lennon- Ford (coach: Linford Christie) Birchfield Harriers; Levine; Strachan; Conrad Williams (coach: Linford Christie) Kent

WOMEN

60m:

Jodie Williams (coach: Mike McFarlane) Herts Phoenix; Bernice Wilson (coach: George Skafidas) Birchfield Harriers

800m:

Jenny Meadows (coach: Trevor Painter) Wigan AC; Marilyn Okoro (coach: Ayo Falola) Shaftesbury Barnet

1500m:

Stacey Smith (coach: Mick Woods) Gateshead ; Hannah England (coach: Bud Baldaro) Oxford

3000m:

Helen Clitheroe (Coach: John Nuttall) Preston Harriers

60m hurdles:

Tiffany Ofili (coach: James Henry / Arnett Chisholm)

Pole Vault:

Holly Bleasdale (coach:Julien Raffalli-Ebezant) Blackburn

4 x 400m relay:

Kelly Massey (coach: Stephen Bell); Meadows; Lee McConnell (coach: Roger Harkins) Shaftesbury Barnet; Okoro; Kelly Sotherton (coach: Aston Moore) Birchfield Harriers; Laura Wake (coach: Nick Dakin) Herts Phoenix