British Athletics have today announced a strong team of 12 athletes for the European 10,000m Cup at Parliament Hill in London on Saturday 6 July.

European silver medallist over 5,000m Eilish McColgan (club: Dundee Hawkhill; coach: Liz Nuttall) leads the team having run her quickest time over 12 and a half laps since September 2017 at the Stockholm Diamond League last week and will chase another qualifying mark for this year’s IAAF World Championships, this time over 10,000m, in London.

McColgan is one of four on the team to have competed at last summer’s European Championships in Berlin with Marc Scott (Richmond & Zetland; Jerry Schumacher), Alice Wright (Worcester; Ben Rosario) and Ben Connor (Derby; Steve Vernon) all selected as the European 10,000m Cup once again forms part of the hugely successful Night of 10,000m PBs, the second consecutive year the event has acted as host, supported by British Athletics.

Like McColgan, Scott is looking to add a World Championship 10,000m qualifying standard to the 5,000m he already has, while Wright just this weekend lowered her half marathon personal best to 71:37 as her good form continues.

Dewi Griffiths (Swansea; Kevin Evans) will take to the track for the first time since 2017 and proved his return to form and fitness by earning selection for the British team for the marathon for the IAAF World Championships later this year on the streets of London in April.

Charlotte Arter (Cardiff; Chris Jones) and Connor earn selection onto the British team for the European 10,000m Cup for the second year running. Arter will have fond memories of last year’s race having claimed bronze in a personal best 32:15.71.

Jess Piasecki (Stockport; Robert Hawkins) and Adam Hickey (Southend; Eamonn Martin) will both pull on the British vest again this year having competed at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in March, with Nick Goolab (Belgrave; Craig Winrow), who was third at the London 10k last month, and Matt Leach (Bedford & County; Philip O’Dell) completing the six-strong men’s team.

Vancouver-based Sarah Inglis (Lothian; Mark Bomba), in her senior British debut, and Verity Ockenden (Swansea; Tony Houchin), who first raced at Parliament Hill in 2017, complete the six-strong women’s team.

With six women and six men selected, Britain will contest for team medals in both events at the European 10,000m Cup, which will be integrated into the A races ran on the night at Parliament Hill on July 6 and also acts at the British Championships and trial for the IAAF World Championships in Doha later this year.

Team Leader Mark Pollard said: “We are delighted to have announced such a strong team for the European 10,000m Cup in London next month. Incorporated into the Night of 10,000m PBs once again, the European 10,000m Cup is a standout event on the calendar and a significant marker in an important year for all of the athletes selected. We will be looking to achieve the highest possible placing in both the men’s and women’s team standings and are confident that the athletes selected can deliver successful results.”

The British team selected for the European 10,000m Cup 2019:

MEN:

Ben Connor (Derby; Steve Vernon)

Nick Goolab (Belgrave; Craig Winrow)

Dewi Griffiths (Swansea; Kevin Evans)

Adam Hickey (Southend; Eamonn Martin)

Matt Leach (Bedford & County; Philip O’Dell)

Marc Scott (Richmond & Zetland; Jerry Schumacher)

WOMEN:

Charlotte Arter (Cardiff; Chris Jones)

Sarah Inglis (Lothian; Mark Bomba)

Eilish McColgan (Dundee Hawkhill; Liz Nuttall)

Verity Ockenden (Swansea; Tony Houchin)

Jess Piasecki (Stockport; Robert Hawkins)

Alice Wright (Worcester; Ben Rosario)