Many of Britain’s leading athletes are in 70-strong squad for the event in Rome from June 7-12
Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Keely Hodgkinson and Zharnel Hughes have been named in the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for the European Championships, which starts in just over a week’s time in Rome.
The event takes place on the eve of the Olympic Games but European titles still mean a lot judging by the strength of the squad. The event also acts as an ideal tune-up competition for athletes ahead of the Paris Games.
World champion Johnson-Thompson will be trying to win her first European outdoor crown. Hughes is the defending European 200m champion but has opted to focus on the 100m.
Hodgkinson and Matthew Hudson-Smith will also be defending their European titles in Rome in the 800m and 400m respectively.
Zharnel Hughes (Getty)
Laura Muir is not defending her 1500m title, though. Similarly, Josh Kerr and Jake Wightman are not in the team for Rome.
There are a few small surprises, too. Daryll Neita is doing the 100m and 200m double but Dina Asher-Smith runs just the 100m, plus both will race the relay of course.
There is, however, no women’s 4x400m team at all.
Eilish McColgan makes a welcome championship return after an injury-hit 2023 in the 10,000m alongside in-form Megan Keith and GB stalwart Jess Warner-Judd.
Milers Elliot Giles and George Mills have gone in different directions, too, with Giles dropping to 800m and Mills testing his strength at 5000m.
Jemma Reekie is racing 1500m instead of 800m. With no marathon in Rome, there is a half-marathon instead with Calli Hauger-Thackery leading a good women’s team but no British men are competing in the event.
Molly Caudery (Getty)
There will be big medal hopes in the women’s pole vault too with Olympic bronze medallist Holly Bradshaw joining world indoor champion Molly Caudery.
The 400m looks like a mouth-watering event as well with Hudson-Smith joined by in-form Charlie Dobson.
Head coach Paula Dunn said: “It is an incredibly strong team with a high number of athletes feeling that Rome will form an important part of their preparations for Paris. For some athletes, winning a medal in Rome will be the perfect preparation for the Olympics, for others competing here will provide a benchmark as to where they are knowing that their peak performance needs to come at the start of August.
“There is also a good blend of athletes who can use this championship to step up and fuel their aims of qualifying for Paris and on to Tokyo World Championships in 2025.”
Matt Hudson-Smith (Getty)
Women
100m: Dina Asher-Smith; Imani-Lara Lansiquot; Daryll Neita; 200m: Neita. 400m: Laviai Nielsen; Victoria Ohuruogu. 800m: Alex Bell; Keely Hodgkinson; Erin Wallace. 1500m: Georgia Bell; Jemma Reekie; Katie Snowden. 5000m: Izzy Fry; Amy-Eloise Neale; Hannah Nuttall. 10,000m: Megan Keith; Eilish McColgan; Jessica Warner-Judd. 100m hurdles: Cindy Sember. 400m hurdles: Jessie Knight; Lina Nielsen. 3000m steeplechase: Lizzie Bird. Pole Vault: Holly Bradshaw; Molly Caudery. High Jump: Morgan Lake. Hammer: Charlotte Payne; Anna Purchase. Heptathlon: Katarina Johnson-Thompson; Jade O’Dowda (subject to rankings eligibility). 4x100m: Asher-Smith; Desiree Henry; Amy Hunt; Lansiquot; Neita; Asha Phillip. Mixed 4x400m: (In addition to athletes selected for men’s 4x400m): Hannah Kelly; Emily Newnham. Half Marathon: Abbie Donnelly; Clara Evans; Calli Hauger-Thackery; Lauren McNeil
Keely Hodgkinson (Getty)
Men
100m: Jeremiah Azu; Romell Glave; Zharnel Hughes. 200m: Jona Efoloko; Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake; Jeriel Quainoo. 400m: Charlie Dobson; Alex Haydock-Wilson; Matthew Hudson-Smith. 800m: Callum Dodds; Elliot Giles; Thomas Randolph. 1500m: Adam Fogg; Neil Gourley. 5000m: George Mills; Jack Rowe; James West. 10,000m: Patrick Dever; Rory Leonard; Zak Mahamed. 20km walk: Callum Wilkinson. 110m hurdles: Andrew Pozzi; Tade Ojora. 400m hurdles: Alastair Chalmers. 3000m steeplechase: Mark Pearce; Zak Seddon. Long Jump: Jacob Fincham-Dukes. Discus: Lawrence Okoye. Hammer: Jake Norris. Shot Put: Scott Lincoln. 4x100m: Jeremiah Azu; Jona Efoloko; Romell Glave; Zharnel Hughes; Richard Kilty; Jeriel Quainoo. 4x400m: Charlie Carvell; Lewis Davey; Toby Harries; Haydock-Wilson; Michael Ohioze
» Look out for the next issue of AW magazine, which is out on May 30, for a look forward to the European Champs in Rome
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