13th November 2018

EUROPEAN MEDALLISTS PROGRESS TO WORLD CLASS PROGRAMME 2018-2019

British Athletics has today announced that 114 athletes have been offered membership to its World Class Programme (WCP) for 2018-19.

The British Athletics WCP is UK Sport’s National Lottery-funded initiative to support the delivery of success at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Membership onto the WCP for 2018-19 is based upon an athletes’ potential to win a medal at Tokyo 2020 or Paris 2024.

There are three levels of membership of the WCP, split into five sections, and for 2018-19 the breakdown is as follows: Olympic Podium (14), Paralympic Podium (30), Olympic Podium Potential (27), Paralympic Podium Potential (17) and Olympic Relays (26).

European bronze medallists from Berlin, Shara Proctor (coach: Rana Reider; club: Birchfield Harriers) and Laura Weightman (Steve Cram; Morpeth), as well as Commonwealth bronze medallist from the Gold Coast Melissa Courtney (Rob Denmark: Poole) are three of eight to have been added to Olympic Podium Potential.

European 4x100m relay gold medallist in Berlin, Bianca Williams (Lloyd Cowan; Enfield & Haringey) and double bronze medallist from the World Junior Championships in Tampere, Kristal Awuah (Matthew Thomas; Herne Hill) are two of four to join at Olympic Relays.

At Paralympic Podium, David Devine (Tony Clarke; Liverpool Harriers) is rewarded for his European title while there are five additions at Paralympic Podium Potential all of whom medalled in Berlin, including champions Harri Jenkins (Anthony Hughes; DSW Academy) and Thomas Young (Joe McDonnell; Charnwood).

Athletes can use their discretion should they not wish to accept membership to the WCP. Endurance athletes funded separately to the WCP will be announced on Friday 23 November. British Athletics Futures Programme athletes will be announced on Tuesday 20 November.

British Athletics Performance Director Neil Black said: “The past 12 months have been filled with vital competitions as we head towards Tokyo 2020 and a whole host of athletes have risen to the challenge and demonstrated their quality when it matters most. The 114 athletes being offered membership onto the World Class Programme for 2018-19 reflects the great amount of strength we possess building towards Tokyo 2020 and beyond that towards Paris 2024.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the National Lottery and UK Sport for their continued investment in the World Class Programme. Their support is essential in helping our athletes to be the best prepared they can be for the biggest competitions, which in 2019 is the IAAF and World Para Athletics Championships, and then the Olympic and Paralympic Games the following year.”

On Mo Farah’s continued membership on the World Class Programme: “Mo has had a fantastic first year concentrating on road racing as we knew he would. His performances in London and Chicago were what we expected of a truly world class athlete. We will continue to support Mo in his ambitions and we look forward to potentially welcoming him onto the British team for the IAAF World Championships in 2019 as part of his preparations for the marathon at Tokyo 2020.”

British Athletics Paralympic Head Coach Paula Dunn said: “Once again I’m delighted that we are offering membership of World Class Programme to such a strong cohort of athletes. After a successful World Para Athletics European Championships and Commonwealth Games in 2018, we have been able to add six high-quality athletes to the Programme who have achieved excellent progress throughout the year. We have a depth of strength throughout the Programme which sets us up for not only the World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai in 2019 and the Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 2020, but the next cycle as we head towards Paris 2024.”

British Athletics invests the UK Sport grant on elite coaching, provision of world class training facilities, medical and sports science services, warm weather training camps and major championships team travel to ensure its athletes perform to the highest achievable standards. Athletes will also receive targeted financial assistance from UK Sport through the World Class Programme’s Athlete Personal Award (APA).

British Athletics World Class Programme 2018-19:

Olympic Podium (14):

Dina Asher-Smith (John Blackie; Blackheath & Bromley)

Holly Bradshaw (Scott Simpson; Blackburn)

Mo Farah (Gary Lough; Newham & Essex Beagles)

Callum Hawkins (Robert Hawkins; Kilbarchan)

Sophie Hitchon (Tore Gustafsson; Blackburn)

Zharnel Hughes (Glen Mills; Shaftesbury Barnet)

Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Bertrand Valcin; Liverpool)

Morgan Lake (Fuzz Caan; Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow)

Nick Miller (Tore Gustafsson; Border)

Laura Muir (Andy Young; Dundee Hawkhill)

Reece Prescod (Jonas Dodoo; Enfield & Haringey)

Shara Proctor (Rana Reider; Birchfield Harriers)

Lynsey Sharp (Terrence Mahon; Edinburgh)

Lorraine Ugen (Shawn Jackson; Thames Valley)

 

Paralympic Podium (30):

Kare Adenegan (Job King; Coventry)

Hollie Arnold (David Turner; Blackheath & Bromley)

Paul Blake (Rob Ellchuk; Dorchester)

Olivia Breen (Aston Moore; City of Portsmouth)

Jonathan Broom-Edwards (Paul Harrison; Newham & Essex Beagles)

Mickey Bushell (Rick Hoskins; Birchfield Harriers)

Jo Butterfield (Phil Peat / Shona Malcolm; Forth Valley Flyers)

Richard Chiassaro (Jenni Banks; Harlow)

Libby Clegg (Joe McDonnell; Charnwood)

Chris Clarke (Michael Khmel; Marshall Milton Keynes) (Guide Runner)

Hannah Cockroft (Jenni Banks; Leeds City)

Kadeena Cox (Matt Cullen; Sale Harriers)

Aled Davies (Ryan Spencer Jones; Cardiff)

David Devine (Tony Clarke, Liverpool)

Kyron Duke (Anthony Hughes; DSW Para Academy)

Sabrina Fortune (Ian Robinson; Deeside)

Dan Greaves (Self; Charnwood)

Sophie Hahn (Leon Baptiste; Charnwood)

Georgina Hermitage (Rod Finch; Basingstoke & Mid Hants)

Jordan Howe (Christian Malcolm; DSW Para Academy)

Sophie Kamlish (Rob Ellchuk; Bristol & West)

Samantha Kinghorn (Ian Mirfin; Red Star)

Maria Lyle (Jamie Bowie; Team East Lothian)

Stephen Miller (Ros Miller; Gateshead)

Jonnie Peacock (Michael Khmel / Dan Pfaff; Charnwood)

Gemma Prescott (Mike Wood; British Wheelchair Athletics Association)

Stef Reid (Aston Moore; Charnwood)

Andrew Small (Rick Hoskins; Stockport)

Isaac Towers (Peter Wyman; Blackpool, Wyre & Fylde)

Richard Whitehead (Keith Antoine; Southwell)

 

Olympic Podium Potential (27):

Tom Bosworth (Andi Drake; Tonbridge)

Andrew Butchart (Terrence Mahon; Central)

Taylor Campbell (John Pearson; Sheffield & Dearne)

Rosie Clarke (David Harmer; Epsom & Ewell)

Melissa Courtney (Rob Denmark; Poole)

Tim Duckworth (Toby Stevenson; Liverpool)

Niamh Emerson (David Feeney; Amber Valley & Erewash)

Tom Gale (Denis Doyle; Team Bath)

Elliot Giles (Jon Bigg; Birchfield Harriers)

Charlie Grice (Jon Bigg; Brighton)

Dewi Griffiths (Kevin Evans; Swansea)

Adam Hague (Trevor Fox; Sheffield & Dearne)

Josh Kerr (Danny Mackey; Edinburgh)

Kyle Langford (Jon Bigg; Shaftesbury Barnet)

Eilish McColgan (Liz Nuttall; Dundee Hawkhill)

Sarah McDonald (David Harmer; Birchfield Harriers)

Naomi Ogbeta (Tom Cullen; Trafford)

Shelayna Oskan-Clarke (Jon Bigg; Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow)

Andrew Pozzi (Santiago Antunez; Stratford-upon-Avon)

Jemma Reekie (Andy Young; Kilbarchan)

Daniel Rowden (Richard Thurston; Woodford Green Essex Ladies)

Jazmin Sawyers (Lance Brauman; Stoke)

Katie Snowden (Geoff Wightman; Herne Hill)

Adelle Tracey (Craig Winrow; Guildford & Godalming)

Laura Weightman (Steve Cram; Morpeth)

Jake Wightman (Geoff Wightman; Edinburgh)

Callum Wilkinson (Andi Drake; Enfield & Haringey)

 

Paralympic Podium Potential (17):

Martina Barber (Paddy O’Shea; Stevenage & North Herts)

Craig Boardman (Harlow)

Dan Bramall (Peter Wyman; Stockport)

Harri Jenkins (Anthony Hughes; DSW Academy)

Mo Jomni (Jenny Archer; Weir Archer Academy)

Dillon Labrooy (Jenny Archer; Weir Archer Academy)

Nathan Maguire (Ste Hoskins; Halton & Frodsham)

Polly Maton (Daniel Hooker; Team Devizes)

Derek Rae (Ron Morrison; Fife)

Zac Shaw (Leon Baptiste; Cleethorpes)

Luke Sinnott (Roger Keller; Bournemouth)

Zak Skinner (Aston Moore; Tonbridge)

Ali Smith (Paul McGregor; Guildford & Godalming)

JohnBoy Smith (Jenny Archer; Weir Archer Academy)

Vanessa Wallace (Alison O’Riordan; Enfield & Haringey)

Eve Walsh-Dann (Roger Sexton; North Down)

Thomas Young (Joe McDonnell; Charnwood)

 

Olympic Relays (26):

Finette Agyapong (Coral Nourrice; Newham & Essex Beagles)

Amy Allcock (Glyn Hawkes; Aldershot Farnham & District)

Kristal Awuah (Matthew Thomas; Herne Hill)

Cameron Chalmers (James Hillier; Guernsey)

Zoey Clark (Eddie McKenna; Thames Valley)

Dwayne Cowan (Lloyd Cowan; Hercules Wimbledon)

Emily Diamond (Benke Blomkvist; Bristol & West)

Beth Dobbin (Leon Baptiste; Edinburgh)

Eilidh Doyle (Brian Doyle; Pitreavie)

Ojie Edoburun (Steve Fudge; Shaftesbury Barnet)

Miguel Francis (Glen Mills; Wolverhampton & Bilston)

Adam Gemili (Rana Reider; Blackheath & Bromley)

Desiree Henry (Rana Reider; Enfield & Haringey)

Matthew Hudson-Smith (Lance Brauman; Birchfield Harriers)

Richard Kilty (Benke Blomkvist; Middlesbrough)

Imani-Lara Lansiquot (Steve Fudge; Sutton & District)

Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (Lance Brauman; Newham & Essex Beagles)

Daryll Neita (Jonas Dodoo; Shaftesbury Barnet)

Ashleigh Nelson (Michael Afilaka; Stoke)

Laviai Nielsen (Christine Bowmaker; Enfield & Haringey)

Asha Philip (Steve Fudge; Newham & Essex Beagles)

Martyn Rooney (Croydon)

Danny Talbot (Benke Blomkvist; Birchfield Harriers)

CJ Ujah (Jonas Dodoo; Enfield & Haringey)

Bianca Williams (Lloyd Cowan; Enfield & Haringey)

Rabah Yousif (Carol Williams; Newham & Essex Beagles)