12 August 2015

British Athletics have named Martyn Rooney as captain of the British Athletics 63-strong team for the IAAF World Championships in Beijing, China.

Rooney, the European 400m champion, was selected by British Athletics Performance Director Neil Black and will lead a 63-strong team at the Bird’s Nest stadium on 22-30 August.

It is not the first time Rooney has competed in Beijing having previously run at the IAAF World Junior Athletics Championships in 2006, and also again at the 2008 Olympics – the latter  also held in the iconic venue.

A member of the 4×400 relay squad, as well as running in the individual 400m, Rooney said: “It has always been an honour to represent my country and something I’ve been lucky enough to do for the last 10 years.  In many ways everything really started to kick off for me in Beijing at the World Juniors in 2006 when I won the Bronze medal, so to now to have the privilege of returning to China and captaining the British Athletics team at the World Champs is a job and a responsibility that fills with me with great pride.”

Adding: “The up and coming talent within the squad pushes me to be a better athlete and hopefully I can provide the right example to them which will set them up for next year’s Olympics."

British Athletics Performance Director Neil Black said: “There are some very experienced athletes in our squad, which includes three current Olympic champions, as well as those just embarking on their international careers, so I was looking for someone who can help bridge the generations and unite the individual athletes as a team. 

“I feel that Martyn is the perfect person for this role as he commands the respect of all his teammates and has the invaluable experience of competing in Beijing previously; most significantly in the 2008 Olympics at the Bird’s Nest itself – the very stadium hosting this year’s World Championships.  But it is more than just experience that he will bring to the post, he is a natural born leader and has the ability to inspire.  I am delighted he has accepted this role.”

British Athletics team for the IAAF World Championships:

MEN:

100m:

James Dasaolu (Steve Fudge) – Croydon

Richard Kilty (Self Coached) – Gateshead

Chijindu Ujah (Jonas Tawiah-Dodoo) – Enfield & Haringey

200m:

Zharnel Hughes (Glen Mills) – Shaftesbury Barnet

Daniel Talbot (Dan Cossins) – Birchfield

400m:

Jarryd Dunn (Keith Holt) – Birchfield

Martyn Rooney (Rana Reider) – Croydon

Rabah Yousif Bkheit (Carol Williams) – Newham & Essex

800m:

Kyle Langford (George Harrison) Shaftesbury Barnet

Michael Rimmer (Jon Bigg) – Liverpool Pembroke Sefton

1500m:

Charlie Grice (Jon Bigg) – Brighton Phoenix

Chris O’Hare (Terrence Mahon) – Edinburgh

5000m:

Mo Farah (Alberto Salazar) – Newham & Essex

Tom Farrell (Mark Rowland) – Border

10000m:

Mo Farah (Alberto Salazar) – Newham & Essex

110mH:

Lawrence Clarke (Malcolm Arnold) – Windsor Slough Eton Hounslow

400mH:

Niall Flannery (Nick Dakin) – Newham & Essex

Jack Green (Loren Seagrave) – Kent

High Jump:

Robbie Grabarz (Fuzz Ahmed) – Newham & Essex

Long Jump:

Dan Bramble (Frank Attoh) – Shaftesbury Barnet

Greg Rutherford (Jonas Tawiah-Dodoo) – Marshall Milton Keynes

Pole Vault:

Steve Lewis (Dan Pfaff) – Newham & Essex

Hammer Throw:

Mark Dry (Chris Black) – Woodford Green with Essex Ladies

Nick Miller (Tore Gustafsson) – Border

20k Walk:

Tom Bosworth (Andi Drake) – Tonbridge

4 x 100m:

Harry Aikines-Aryeetey – Sutton & District

James Ellington (Linford Christie) – Newham & Essex

Adam Gemili (Steve Fudge) – Blackheath & Bromley

Plus from individual events:

Richard Kilty (Self Coached) – Gateshead

Danny Talbot (Dan Cossins) – Birchfield

Chijindu Ujah (Jonas Tawiah-Dodoo) – Enfield & Haringey

4 x 400m:

Conrad Williams (Linford Christie) – Kent

Delano Williams (Neil Harrison) – Enfield & Haringey

Nigel Levine (Linford Christie) – Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow

Plus from individual events:

Jarryd Dunn (Keith Holt) – Birchfield

Jack Green (Loren Seagrave) – Kent

Martyn Rooney (Rana Reider) – Croydon

Rabah Yousif Bkheit (Carol Williams) – Newham & Essex

WOMEN:

100m:

Asha Philip (Steve Fudge) – Newham & Essex

200m:

Margaret Adeoye (Linford Christie) – Enfield & Haringey

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

Bianca Williams (Lloyd Cowan) – Enfield & Haringey

400m:

Christine Ohuruogu (Christine Bowmaker) – Newham & Essex

Anyika Onuora (Rana Reider) – Liverpool Harriers

800m:

Jenny Meadows (Trevor Painter) – Wigan

Shelayna Oskan-Clarke (Ayo Falola) – Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow

Lynsey Sharp (Reider) – Edinburgh

1500m:

Laura Muir (Andy Young) – Dundee Hawkhill

Laura Weightman (Steve Cram) – Morpeth

5000m:

Steph Twell (Mick Woods) – Aldershot Farnham & District

10000m:

Kate Avery (Tony Simmons) Shildon

100mH:

Cindy Ofili (James Henry) – Woodford Green with Essex Ladies

Tiffany Porter (Rana Reider) – Woodford Green with Essex Ladies

400mH:

Meghan Beesley (Nick Dakin) – Birchfield

Eilidh Child (Malcolm Arnold) – Pitreavie

High Jump:

Morgan Lake (Eldon Lake) – Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow

Isobel Pooley (Fuzz Ahmed) – Aldershot Farnham & District

Long Jump:

Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Mike Holmes) – Liverpool Harriers

Shara Proctor (Rana Reider) – Birchfield

Lorraine Ugen (Shawn Jackson) – Blackheath & Bromley

Pole Vault:

Holly Bradshaw (Scott Simpson) – Blackburn

Hammer Throw:

Sophie Hitchon (Tore Gustafsson) – Blackburn

Javelin:

Goldie Sayers (Mark Roberson) – Belgrave

Heptathlon:

Jessica Ennis-Hill (Toni Minichiello) – Sheffield

Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Mike Holmes) – Liverpool Harriers

4 x 100m:

Louise Bloor (Toni Minichiello) – Trafford

Desiree Henry (Rana Reider) – Enfield & Haringey,

Jodie Williams (Christine Bowmaker) –  Herts Phoenix

Darryll Neita – (Jonas Tawiah-Dodoo) – Shaftesbury

Plus from individual events:

Asha Philip (Steve Fudge) – Newham & Essex

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

Bianca Williams (Lloyd Cowan) – Enfield & Haringey

4 x 400m:

Kirsten McAslan (Trevor Painter) – Sale

Seren Bundy-Davies (Stephen Ball) – Trafford

Laviai Nielson (Frank Adams) – Enfield & Haringey

Plus from individual events:

Margaret Adeoye (Linford Christie) – Enfield & Haringey

Eilidh Child (Malcolm Arnold) – Pitreavie

Christine Ohuruogu (Christine Bowmaker) – Newham & Essex

Anyika Onuora (Rana Reider) – Liverpool Harriers