Ten reigning European champions are among the 47 athletes selected to compete for Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the World Para Athletics European Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland between 1-5 June.

Aled Davies (coach: Ryan Spencer-Jones; club: Cardiff), Sophie Hahn (Leon Baptiste; Charnwood), Maria Lyle (Jamie Bowie; Team East Lothian) and Richard Whitehead (Keith Antoine; Southwell) are among those set to compete at the Zdzisław Krzyszkowiak Stadium.

Six-time European champion Aled Davies will be seeking his fourth consecutive F63 shot-put title as the 2016 Paralympic gold medallist prepares for his title defence in Tokyo this summer.

Double world champion Maria Lyle will compete in the T35 100m and 200m in Poland. The 21-year-old has won six European titles during her career to date and will be seeking to add further silverware to her collection at the 2021 edition.

Grand-slam champion in the T38 100m Sophie Hahn will defend her title in Bydgoszcz, while Thomas Young (Joe McDonnell; Charnwood) will look to match that achievement in the men’s equivalent.

Reigning individual European champions Dan Greaves (Zane Duquemin; Charnwood) [F64 discus], Harri Jenkins (Nathan Stephens; DSW Para Academy) [T33 100m], Vanessa Wallace (Alison O’Riordan; Enfield and Haringey) [F34 shot put] and Richard Whitehead [T61 200m] are selected, whilst 2018 universal 4x100m relay gold medallists Nathan Maguire (Ste Hoskins; Kirkby) and Zac Shaw (Leon Baptiste; Cleethorpes) have also been called up.

Four-time European champion Georgie Hermitage (Rod Finch; Basingstoke and Mid Hants) returns to the British team having retired from the sport in early 2020. However, following the birth of her second child last year, the Paralympic and world champion returned to training, running her first race since 2018 last weekend and has been selected for the T37 400m in Poland.

Three British athletes will compete 100m RaceRunning events including world champion Kayleigh Haggo (John Owens; Ayr Seaforth), who broke the RR2 400m world record at the weekend. World silver medallist Ellie Simpson (Jessica Davidson; Sheffield and Dearne) has also been selected for the women’s RR3 100m. In the men’s equivalent, Dubai 2019 world silver medallist Rafi Solaiman (Philip Fleetwood; Sheffield & Dearne) leads the entries.

Eight athletes on the British Athletics Paralympic Futures Academy and two Paralympic Development Academy athletes have been selected including T54 athletes Daniel Sidbury (Christine Parsloe; Sutton & District) and Mel Woods (Rodger Harkins; Red Star). The British Athletics Paralympic Performance Pathway aims to identify, develop, prepare and support potential Paralympians towards World Class level. These ten athletes on the 2021 cohort join a number of graduates of the programme on the team for Bydgoszcz, including European medallists Thomas Young and Ali Smith (Benke Blomkvist; Guildford & Godalming).

Paula Dunn MBE, the Para Athletics Head Coach said:

“The World Para Athletics European Championships provide a great opportunity for our athletes to compete at a high level in a very important year. It is a fantastic competition opportunity for those athletes who are building up to Tokyo, as well as providing a platform for our Paralympic Futures Academy and Development Academy athletes who are on the pathway for Paris and Los Angeles.

“Due to challenging circumstances at this current time, and consistent with British Athletics’ approach this season, all athletes were given the option to opt-in or opt-out of the Championships. The Paralympic Games is ultimately the main focus this year, so while many athletes have targeted Bydgoszcz as a key event in their plan for the year, others have decided to focus on other competitions as part of their preparation for Tokyo. We are supporting all athletes and coaches to achieve what they feel is the best preparation possible for the Paralympic Games later this summer.”

The British team for the World Para Athletics European Championships, Bydgoszcz, Poland on 1-5 June:

Women:

Fabienne André (Jenny Archer; Weir Archer Academy) – T34 100m and 800m

Olivia Breen (Aston Moore; City of Portsmouth) – T38 Long Jump and 100m

Lydia Church (Jim Edwards; Peterborough and Nene Valley) – F12 Shot Put

Libby Clegg (Joe McDonnell; Charnwood) [Guide runner – Chris Clarke] – T11 200m and 4x100m Universal Relay

Kayleigh Haggo (John Owens; Ayr Seaforth) – RR3 100m

Sophie Hahn (Leon Baptiste; Charnwood) – T38 100m and 4x100m Universal Relay

Georgie Hermitage (Rod Finch; Basingstoke and Mid Hants) – T37 400m

Sophie Kamlish (Rob Ellchuk; Bristol & West) – T64 100m and 4x100m Universal Relay

Maria Lyle (Jamie Bowie; Team East Lothian) – T35 100m and 200m

Polly Maton (Colin Baross; Team Devizes) – T47 Long Jump and 100m

Anna Nicholson (Richard Kaufman; Gateshead) – F35 Shot Put

Ellie Simpson (Jessica Davidson; Sheffield & Dearne) – RR3 100m

Ali Smith (Benke Blomkvist; Guildford & Godalming) – T38 100m, 400m and 4x100m Universal Relay

Stef Reid (Aston Moore; Charnwood) – T64 Long Jump

Emily Stewart (Janice Kaufman; Gateshead) – F38 Discus

Hannah Taunton (Charlotte Fisher; Taunton) – T20 1500m

Vanessa Wallace (Alison O’Riordan; Enfield and Haringey) – F34 Shot Put

Mel Woods (Rodger Harkins; Red Star) – T54 100m, 400m, 800m and 1500m

Men:

Ola Abidogun (Steve Thomas; Horwich) – T47 100m and 4x100m Universal Relay

Jonathan Adams (Margaret Nicholls; Ipswich) – F35 Shot Put

Columba Blango (Chris Zah; Shaftesbury Barnet) – T20 400m

John Bridge (Darrell Maynard; Cardiff) – T47 400m

Jonathan Broom-Edwards (Graham Ravenscroft; Newham & Essex Beagles) – T64 High Jump

Shaun Burrows (Joe McDonnell; Charnwood) – T38 400m

Richard Chiassaro (Jenni Banks; Harlow) – T54 400m and 800m

Barney Corrall (Chris Sinclair; Charnwood) – T38 Long Jump

Aled Davies (Ryan Spencer-Jones; Cardiff) – F63 Shot Put

Kyron Duke (Ryan Spencer-Jones; DSW Para Academy) – F41 Shot Put

James Freeman (Jenny Archer; Weir Archer Academy) – T33 100m

Dan Greaves (Zane Duquemin; Charnwood) – F64 Discus

Harri Jenkins (Nathan Stephens; DSW Para Academy) – T33 100m

Rhys Jones (Kevin Williams; DSW Para Academy) – T37 100m and 200m

Nathan Maguire (Ste Hoskins; Kirkby) – T54 100m, 400m, 800m and 4x100m Universal Relay

Stephen Miller (Ros Miller; Gateshead) – F32 Club Throw

Luke Nuttall (Alison Wyeth; Charnwood) – T46 1500m

Javaughn Parkes (Michelle Nicholas; Birchfield) – T36 100m

Ross Paterson (John Kinder; Red Star) – T38 100m and 400m

Dan Pembroke (David Turner; Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow) – F13 Javelin

Zac Shaw (Leon Baptiste; Cleethorpes) – T12 100m and 4x100m Universal Relay

Daniel Sidbury (Christine Parsloe; Sutton & District) – T54 400m, 800m, 1500m and 5000m

Luke Sinnott (Roger Keller; Bournemouth) – T63 Long Jump

Zak Skinner (Aston Moore; Loughborough Students) – T13 Long Jump and 100m

Rafi Solaiman (Philip Fleetwood; Sheffield & Dearne) – RR3 100m

Alexander Thomson (Chris Baillie; Victoria Park City of Glasgow) – T38 100m and 400m

Harrison Walsh (Nathan Stephens; Swansea) – F64 Discus Throw

Richard Whitehead (Keith Antoine; Southwell) – T61 200m

Thomas Young (Joe McDonnell; Charnwood) – T38 100m and 4x100m Universal Relay