7 November 2007

UK Athletics has today confirmed the names of 234 athletes who will receive National Lottery funding during 2008 across all levels of the World Class Programme.

Following an extensive appraisal process 43 athletes will be supported on the top tier of the programme – World Class Podium – during the Olympic year. This is an increase of seven athletes from 2007 with half of the additions funded in support of the relay programme which brought home two medals from this year’s World Championships in Osaka.

Other athletes set to receive Podium funding include 800m and relay runner Marilyn Okoro (Shaftesbury Barnet), Andy Baddeley (Harrow) who has stepped up to World Class over 1500m, and World Championship high jump finalists Martyn Bernard (Wakefield) and Tom Parsons (Birchfield Harriers).

A total of 67 athletes will receive funding from the World Class Development programme, and a further 82 are awarded World Class Talent status.

In Disability Athletics, a total of 42 athletes will receive World Class support for 2008, with 20 athletes named on the Podium programme and 22 on the Development programme.

Athletes promoted to Podium level include sprinter Katrina Hart (Birchfield Harriers). Former throws multiple World Record holder Chris Martin (Mansfield Harriers) has come out of retirement and will receive Podium funding in order to pursue Paralympic gold in Beijing.

Six athletes are promoted to World Class Development funding, including two who have switched from other Paralympic Sports; former swimmer turned sprinter Kate Arnold and javelin thrower Shaun Sewell (Lee Valley AC) who is a former single scull world medallist in rowing.

UK Athletics Performance Director Dave Collins said:

"With less than 12 months to go until the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics, we are entering a key phase of our preparations and the National Lottery funding for athletes on World Class podium ensures they are able to focus fully on the challenges ahead.

"The personal awards, combined with a holistic package of sports science and sports medicine support from UK Athletics will enable Britain’s athletes to meticulously prepare for the World’s greatest sporting event.

"The increase in numbers is testament to those athletes who stepped up to the performance challenge this year and met and often exceeded tough personal targets. Of course they need to continue on that upward trajectory if they’re to maintain their funding and demonstrate that they have the ability to medal at the very highest level.

"The relay provides us with outstanding returns in terms of medals against investment and a proportion of the increase in numbers receiving Podium support is to ensure the relay programme does not falter in what is a key Olympic and Paralympic year. We have a number of talented young athletes who are part of the various relay squads and the experience they gain will be crucial in their development of their individual event".

For further information on the funding provided through the Athlete Personal Awards (APA) visit the UK Sport website on www.uksport.gov.uk/pages/athlete_personal_awards/

World Class Podium Athletes (43)

Andrew Baddeley, 25, 1500m – Tim Benjamin, 25, 400m – Martyn Bernard, 22, High Jump –

Tasha Danvers Smith, 30, 400m Hurdles – Marlon Devonish, 31, 100 & 200m – Nathan Douglas, 24, Triple Jump – Montell Douglas, 21, Relay – Tyrone Edgar, 25, Relay – Sam Ellis, 25, 800m – Jessica Ennis, 21, Heptathlon – Mo Farah, 24, 5000m – Rikki Fifton, 22, Relay – Donna Fraser, 34, Relay – Emily Freeman, 26, Relay – Phillips Idowu, 28, Triple Jump – Jeanette Kwakye, 24, Relay – Mark Lewis Francis, 25, 100m – Rebecca Lyne, 25, 800m – Dean Macey, 29, Decathlon – Joice Maduaka, 34, Relay – Christian Malcolm, 28, 200m – Germaine Mason, 24, High Jump – Lee McConnell, 29, Relay – Marilyn Okoro, 23, 800m – Abi Oyepitan, 27, 100m – Tom Parsons, 23, High Jump – Jo Pavey, 34, 5000m – Craig Pickering, 21, 100m – Paula Radcliffe, 33, Marathon – Michael Rimmer, 21, 800m – Martyn Rooney, 20, 400m – Greg Rutherford, 20, Long Jump – Nicola Sanders, 25, 400m – Goldie Sayers, 25, Javelin – Kelly Sotherton, 30, Heptathlon – Andrew Steele, 23, Relay – Rob Tobin, 23, Relay – Chris Tomlinson, 26, Long Jump – Laura Turner, 25, Relay – Andrew Turner, 27, 110m Hurdles – Rhys Williams, 23, 400m Hurdles – Simeon Williamson, 21, 100m – Mara Yamauchi, 34, Marathon.

World Class Podium Athletes – Disability Athletics (20)

Graeme Ballard, 28, 100m, T36 – Kenneth Churchill, 32, Javelin, F37 – Michael Churm, 26, 100m, T37 – Elizabeth Clegg, 17, 100m, T12 – Danny Crates, 34, 800m, T46 – David Gale, 39, Discus, F51 – Daniel Greaves, 25, Discus, F44 – Sophie Hancock, 21, Discus, F40 – Katrina Hart, 17, 100m, T37 – Tracey Hinton, 37, 200m, T11 – Beverley Jones, 33, Shot, F37 – Chris Martin, 36, Discus, F33 – John McFall, 26, 100m, T42 – Stephen Miller, 27, Club, F32 – Kim Minett, 29, Shot, F40 – Ben Rushgrove, 19, 200m, T36 – Hazel Simpson, 28, 100m, T36 – David Weir, 28, 400m, T54 – Daniel West, 30, Discus, F34 – Rochelle Woods, 21, Marathon, T54.

World Class Development Athletes (67)

Phylis Agbo, 21, Heptathlon – Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, 19, 100m – Chris Baillie, 26, 110m Hurdles – Leon Baptiste, 22, 100m – Wade Bennett-Jackson, 20, 100m – Elizabeth Brathwaite, 22, 1500m – James Brewer, 19, 800m – Richard Buck, 20, 400m – Louise Butterworth, 22, Pole Vault – James Campbell, 19, Javelin – Chris Clarke, 17, 200m – Helen Clitheroe, 33, 3000m s/c – James Dasaolu, 20, 100m – Stephen Davies, 23, 1500m – Hattie Dean, 25, 3000m s/c – Kate Dennison, 23, Pole Vault – Ryan Dinham, 22, 400mH – Lisa Dobriskey, 23, 1500m – Emma Duck, 26, 400m Hurdles – Edward Dunford, 23, Decathlon – Sian Edwards, 18, 5000m – Luke Fagan, 19, 100m – Laura Finucane, 21, 800m – Eden Francis, 19, Shot – Gianni Frankis, 19, 110m Hurdles – Dale Garland, 27, 400m Hurdles – Robbie Grabarz, 20, High Jump – David Greene, 21, 400m Hurdles – Elizabeth Hall, 22, 3000m s/c – Amy Harris, 20, Long Jump – Louise Hazel, 22, Heptathlon – Richard Hill, 21, 800m – Sarah Holt, 20, Hammer – Vikki Hubbard, 18, High Jump – David Hughes, 23, 110m Hurdles – Emma Jackson, 19, 800m – Jo Jackson, 22, 20k Race Walk – Hayley Jones, 19, 200m – Laura Kenney, 22, 5000m – Matthew Lambley, 20, Hammer – Thomas Lancashire, 22, 1500m – Steven Lewis, 21, Pole Vault – Jennifer Meadows, 26, 800m – Alex Nelson, 19, 100m – Ashlee Nelson, 16, 100m – Anyika Onuora, 23, 100m – Andrew Osagie, 19, 800m – Asha Phillip, 17, 100m – Emily Pidgeon, 18, 5000m – Amanda Pritchard, 27, 800m – Stephanie Pywell, 20, High Jump – Adam Scarr, 22, High Jump – Allan Scott, 24, 110m Hurdles – Ryan Scott, 20, 100m – Perri Shakes Drayton, 18, 400m Hurdles – William Sharman, 23, 110m Hurdles – Jemma Simpson, 23, 800m – Alex Smith, 19, Hammer – Jade Surman, 18, Heptathlon – Julian Thomas, 20, 200m – Kadi Ann Thomas, 21, 200m – Chris Thompson, 26, 5000m – Stephanie Twell, 18, 1500m – Abby Westley, 20, 1500m – Gary White, 22, Triple Jump – Katrina Wootton, 22, 1500m – Leevan Yearwood, 19, 100m.

World Class Development Athletes – Disability Athletics (22)

Brian Alldis, 21, 800m, T54 – Kate Arnold, 19, 100m / 200m, T46 – Michael Bushell, 17, 100m, T53 – Matthew Cliff, 21, 400m, T12 – Martin Crutchley, 24, Shot, F38 – Katherine Deal, 16, 400m, T13 – Neil Fachie, 23, 100m, T13 – Thomas Green, 16, Club, T32 – Jamie Harding, 17, Relay, T37 – Ian Jones, 18, 400m, T44 –  Jenny McGloughlin, 16, 100m/200m, T37 – Dean Miller, 18, 800m, T37 – Kieron Murphy, 21, Club, F32 – Karl Nicholson, 33, Relay, T54 – Daniel Nobbs, 28, Shot, F54 – Gemma Prescott, 24, Discus, F32 – Shaun Sewell, 32, Javelin, F54  – Nathan Stephens, 19, Shot, F57 – Anne Wafula-Strike, 38, 100m, T54 – Claire Williams, 20, Discus, F12 – Andrew Williams, 26, Shot, F32 –Bethany Woodward, 14, 100m / 200m, T37.

World Class Talent Athletes (82)

Kola Adedoyin, 16, Triple Jump – Julian Adeniran, 19, 110m Hurdles – Abdirisak Ahmed, 16, 3000m – Ed Aston, 19, 800m – Daniel Awde, 19, Decathlon – Michael Baker, 17, 400m Hurdles – James Bedford, 18, Hammer – Meghan Beesley, 17, 400m Hurdles – Eilidh Child, 20, 400m Hurdles – Lianne Clarke, 20, Javelin – Mike Cole, 17, 800m – Jessica Coulson, 17, 1500m – Nick Cruchley, 17, Pole Vault – Robert Davis, 18, 400m – Jade Dodd, 18, Javelin – Torema Dorsett, 17, 100m – Danny Doyley, 18, 200m – Niall Flannery, 16, 400m Hurdles – David Forrester, 17, 1500m – Nathan Fox, 17, Triple Jump – Kris Gauson, 19, 1500m – David Guest, 15, Decathlon – Kerrie Harris, 17, 800m – Joanne Harvey, 18, 800m – Ashley Helsby, 17, 100m Hurdles – Sophie Hitchon, 16, Hammer – Simon Horsfield, 17, 3000m – Jordan Huggins, 16, 100m – Antonio Infantino, 16, 200m – Joe Ive, 20, Pole Vault – Jade Ive, 15, Pole Vault – Richard Kilty, 18, 100m – Adele Lassu, 18, High Jump – Jessica Leach, 20, High Jump – Alison Leonard, 17, 800m – Nigel Levine, 18, 400m – Emma Lyons, 20, Pole Vault – Andrew Marsh, 17, Pole Vault – Jordan McGrath, 17, 400m – Susan McKelvie, 22, Hammer – Alan McKie, 19, High Jump – James McLean, 16, 110m Hurdles – Simon Merrill, 17, 110m Hurdles – Ross Millington, 18, 1500m – Mark Mitchell, 19, 800m – Adam Moore, 17, 800m – Brett Morse, 18, Discus – Matti Mortimore, 14, Javelin – Ross Murray, 17, 1500m – Jade Nimmo, 16, Long Jump – Phil Norman, 18, 3000m Steeple Chase – Edirin Okoro, 18, 110m Hurdles – Trevor Okoroafor, 17, Triple Jump – Emma Pallant, 18, 1500m – Daniel Pembroke, 16, Javelin – Louis Persent, 17, 400m – Elizabeth Potter, 15, 1500m – Callum Priestley, 18, 110m Hurdles – Charlotte Purdue, 16, 3000m – Andy Robertson, 16, 200m – Jazmine Rowe, 18, 100m – Sally Scott, 16, Pole Vault – Anike Shand-Whittingham, 18, 100m – Lynsey Sharp, 17, 800m – Peter Smith, 17, Hammer – Olufunmi Sobodu, 17, 100m – Serita Solomon, 17, 100m Hurdles – Jessica Sparke, 19, 1500m – Stevie Stockton, 18, 3000m – Rachel Stringer, 17, 800m – Guy Stroud, 19, Decathlon – Jennifer Taker, 17, 100m – David Telfer-James, 19, 200m – Katarina Thompson, 14, Heptathlon – Sophie Upton, 17, Pole Vault – Nathan Wake, 15, 400m – Ben Wears, 17, 10k Walk – Gemma Weetman, 20, Heptathlon – Laura Weightman, 16, 1500m – Michael Wheeler, 16, Shot – Alistair Williamson, 19, Hammer – Nathan Woodward, 18, 400m Hurdles.