Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Josh Kerr will defend their global titles in September, while Georgia Hunter Bell will join Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson in the 800m
The Novuna Great Britain & Northern Ireland team will travel to Tokyo full of medal hopes, seasoned internationals and up-and-coming talents after UK Athletics selected a sizeable squad for the World Championships on September 13-21.
Reigning world champions Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Josh Kerr will defend their global titles in the heptathlon and men’s 1500m respectively.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Getty)
Georgia Hunter Bell’s dilemma has been answered with the Olympic 1500m bronze medallist tackling the 800m where she will line up with Olympic champion and training partner Keely Hodgkinson.
Sprinters such as Dina Asher-Smith, Zharnel Hughes and Amy Hunt will have a busy week as they are doubling up and will be on relay duty too.
Further medal hopes include pole vaulter Molly Caudery, 400m runners Amber Anning, Matt Hudson-Smith and Charlie Hudson, high jumper Morgan Lake, 800m runner Max Burgin and 5000m man George Mills, while athletes such as the experienced Laura Muir cannot be ruled out making the podium.
Max Burgin and Molly Caudery (Getty)
At the other end of the age spectrum, 19-year-old Innes FitzGerald will tackle the 5000m. There are GB debutants such as Tiarnan Crorken in the 800m, plus great comeback stories such as long jumper Jazmin Sawyers, who has recovered from Achilles surgery last year to travel to Tokyo as a contender.
There are a number of athletes who have been selected subject to confirmation of a qualifying world ranking position on midnight Saturday August 30, too, including shot putter Scott Lincoln and hammer thrower Jake Norris, to name just two.
The full squad is as follows…
Women
100m: Dina Asher-Smith; Amy Hunt; Daryll Neita; 200m: Dina Asher-Smith; Amy Hunt; Daryll Neita; 400m: Amber Anning; Yemi Mary John; Victoria Ohuruogu; 800m: Georgia Hunter-Bell; Keely Hodgkinson; Jemma Reekie; 1500m: Laura Muir; Revee Walcott-Nolan; Erin Wallace; 5000m: Melissa Country-Bryant; Innes FitzGerald; Hannah Nuttall; 10,000m: Calli Hauger-Thackery*; Megan Keith*; 100m Hurdles: Marcia Sey*; 400m Hurdles: Lina Nielsen; Emily Newnham; 3000m Steeplechase: Elise Thorner; Sarah Tait*; High Jump: Morgan Lake*; Pole Vault: Molly Caudery; Long Jump: Jazmin Sawyers; Hammer: Anna Purchase*; Heptathlon: Katarina Johnson-Thompson; Jade O’Dowda*; Abigail Pawlett*; 4×100m: Dina Asher-Smith; Success Eduan; Joy Eze; Desiree Henry; Amy Hunt; Daryll Neita; 4×400m: Amber Anning; Hannah Brier; Poppy Malik; Yemi Mary John; Victoria Ohuruogu; Nicole Yeargin
Daryll Neita, Amy Hunt, Dina Asher-Smith (Getty)
Men
100m: Jeremiah Azu; Romell Glave; Zharnel Hughes; 200m: Toby Harries*; Zharnel Hughes; 400m: Charlie Dobson; Matt Hudson-Smith; Samuel Reardon; 800m: Max Burgin; Tiarnan Crorken; Ben Pattison; 1500m: Elliot Giles; Neil Gourley; Josh Kerr; Jake Wightman; 5000m: George Mills; 110m Hurdles: Tade Ojora*; 400m Hurdles: Alastair Chalmers; Seamus Derbyshire; Tyri Donovan; 3000m Steeplechase: Zak Seddon*; Marathon: Emile Cairess; 35km Race Walk: Cameron Corbishley*; Shot Put: Scott Lincoln*; Discus: Lawrence Okoye; Nick Percy; Hammer: Jake Norris*; 4×400m: Charlie Dobson; Lewis Davey; Toby Harries; Matt Hudson-Smith; Samuel Reardon; Lee Thompson; 4x100m: Eugene Amo-Dadzie; Jeremiah Azu; Jona Efoloko; Romell Glave; Louie Hinchliffe; Zharnel Hughes
*Selected subject to confirmation of a qualifying world ranking position on midnight Saturday August 30
The mixed relay event will comprise a combination of the athletes named in the squad.
AloJapan.com