54-STRONG TEAM SELECTED FOR THE EUROPEAN UNDER 23 CHAMPIONSHIPS

54 athletes have been named in a strong team for the European Under 23 Championships taking place between the 8-11 July in Tallinn, Estonia.

Five athletes ranked in the top three of the 2021 European U23 rankings have been selected, while one reigning champion returns to the fold at the Championships.

Currently second in the European U23 rankings in the women’s 100m, Kristal Awuah (coach: Matthew Thomas, club: Herne Hill) will line up for the British team in the short sprint and 4x100m relay.

Erin Wallace (Andy Young, Giffnock North), who is third in the European U23 1500m rankings, won silver in the event at the Müller British Athletics Championships at the weekend. She is in good form with a PB of 4:08.10 earlier this month at the BMC Grand Prix in Watford.

Eleanor Bolton (Ribble Valley Harriers) [women’s 10,000m], George Mills (Jon Bigg, Brighton Phoenix) [men’s 1500m] and Tom Mortimer [men’s 5000m] are all ranked third in Europe in their respective events this year.

Looking to retain his European U23 200m title will be Shemar Boldizsar (Stephen David Loft, Harlow). He was victorious at the trials at the England Athletics U23 Championships recently to guarantee his spot on the team. Jona Efoloko (Clarence Callender, Sale Harriers Manchester) joins Boldizsar in the 200m field.

The men’s 400m hurdles see the gold and silver medallists from the Müller British Athletics Championships, Alastair Chalmers (Matt Elias, Guernsey) and Alex Knibbs (Nick Dakin, Amber Valley & Erewash) in the team. The former retained his title while Knibbs continued his impressive early season form in second place following a personal best of 49.82 earlier this month in Belgium.

The women’s field events see two British champions taking their spots on the team. Bekah Walton (David Turner, Blackheath & Bromley) in the javelin and Tara Simpson-Sullivan (Robert Halliwell, Wigan & District) in the hammer throw

Walton threw a PB of 54.03m to be crowned champion at the weekend. Meanwhile British number one Simpson-Sullivan, who improved her personal best to 68.91m in April, is also ranked fourth in the European U23 ranking this year.

Michael Afilaka, Team Leader, said “I am very pleased that we have been able to select such a strong team to go to Tallinn. There were some impressive performances from the athletes at the age-group Championships in Bedford and the British Championships this weekend which sets us up well for the Europeans. The team has a good mix of experience and developing talent and I am looking forward to some great competition out in Tallinn.”

The British team for the European U23 Championships:

Men

100m

Dominic Ashwell (Marvin Rowe, Shaftesbury Barnet)

Jeremiah Azu (Helen Patricia James, Cardiff)

Brandon Mingeli (Ryan Freckleton, Cambridge Harriers)

200m

Shemar Boldizsar (Stephen David Loft, Harlow)

Jona Efoloko (Clarence Callender, Sale Harriers Manchester)

400m

Joe Brier (Matt Elias, Swansea)

Alex Haydock-Wilson (Michael Baker, Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow)

800m

Finlay McLear (Exeter)

Ben Pattison (Dave Ragan, Basingstoke and Mid Hants)

Thomas Randolph (Craig Winnow, Tamworth)

1500m

Tiarnan Crorken (Andy Bibby, Preston)

Josh Lay (Anthony Love, Rugby & Northampton)

George Mills (Jon Bigg, Brighton Phoenix)

5000m

Issac Akers (Bill Boyd, Crosby)

Rory Leonard (Morpeth)

Tom Mortimer (Christopher Brown, Stroud)

10,000m

David Melville (Harvard Uni)

110m Hurdles

Tade Ojora (Caryl Smith-Gilbert, Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow)

Josh Zeller (Adrian Brown, Bracknell AC)

400m Hurdles

Alastair Chalmers (Matt Elias, Guernsey)

Alex Knibbs (Nick Dakin, Amber Valley & Erewash)

High Jump

Joel Khan (Deidre Elmhurst, Worcester)

Hammer

Ben Hawkes (Adrian Palmer, Cardiff)

4 x 100m Relay

Dominic Ashwell (Marvin Rowe, Shaftesbury Barnet)

Jeremiah Azu (Helen Patricia James, Cardiff)

Shemar Boldizsar (Stephen David Loft, Harlow)

Jona Efoloko (Clarence Callender, Sale Harriers Manchester)

Brandon Mingeli (Ryan Freckleton, Cambridge Harriers)

Destiny Ogali (Winston Thomas, Dacorum & Tring)

4 x 400m Relay

Joe Brier (Matt Elias, Swansea)

Alex Haydock-Wilson (Michael Baker, Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow)

Alex Knibbs (Nick Dakin, Amber Valley & Erewash)

Alastair Chalmers (Matt Elias, Guernsey)

Lewis Davey (Newham & Essex Beagles)

Ethan Brown (Clarence Callender, Bromley & Blackheath)

Aidan Leeson (Glyn Hawkes, Rugby & Northampton)

Women

100m

Kristal Awuah (Matthew Thomas, Herne Hill)

Alisha Rees (Leon Baptiste, Edinburgh AC)

200m

Georgina Adam (Joe McDonnell, Loughborough Students)

Amber Anning (Brighton & Hove)

Kiah Dubarry-Gay (Clarence Callender, Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets)

400m

Yasmin Liverpool (Stewart Marshall, Coventry)

800m

Izzy Boffey (Luke Gunn, Enfield & Haringey)

Khahisa Mhlanga (Mick Judd, Herts Phoenix)

1500m

Erin Wallace (Andy Young, Giffnock North)

5000m

Eleanor Bolton (Chris Barnes, Ribble Valley Harriers)

Izzy Fry (Mick Woods, Newbury)

10000m

Eleanor Bolton (Chris Barnes, Ribble Valley Harriers)

100m Hurdles

Jenna Blundell (Toni Minichiello, Bristol & West)

Anastasia Davies (John Blackie, Blackheath & Bromley)

400m Hurdles

Zoe Pollock (Nick Dakin, Oxford City)

3000m Steeplechase

Sarah Tait (Linda Smith, Lasswade)

Elise Thorner (Wells City)

Pole Vault

Molly Caudrey (Stuart Caudery, Thames Valley)

Long Jump

Lucy Hadaway (Matt Barton, City of York)

Javelin

Bekah Walton (David Turner, Blackheath & Bromley)

Hammer

Anna Purchase (Rob Careless, Notts)

Tara Simpson-Sullivan (Robert Halliwell, Wigan & District)

Heptathlon

Holly Mills (Laura Turner-Alleyne, Andover)

Jade O’Dowda (Toni Minichiello, Newham & Essex Beagles)

Jodie Smith (Laura Turner-Alleyne, Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow)

4 x 100m Relay

Georgina Adam (Joe McDonnell, Loughborough Students)

Kristal Awuah (Matthew Thomas, Herne Hill)

Ellie Booker (Lewis Samuel, Rotherham)

Kiah Dubarry-Gay (Clarence Callender, Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets)

Cassie-Ann Pemberton (Sharon Morris, Birchfield Harriers)

Alisha Rees (Leon Baptiste, Edinburgh AC)

4x 400m Relay

Amber Anning (Brighton & Hove)

Izzy Boffey (Luke Gunn, Enfield & Haringey)

Hannah Kelly (Les Hall, Bolton)

Yasmin Liverpool (Stewart Marshall, Coventry)

Zoe Pollock (Nick Dakin, Oxford City)