1st May 2019

BRITISH ATHLETICS NAME FIRST GB & NI ATHLETES FOR DOHA

British Athletics have today announced the first six athletes chosen for the IAAF World Championships in Doha, Qatar from September 27-October 6 2019.

Callum Hawkins (coach: Robert Hawkins; club: Kilbarchan) and Charlotte Purdue (Nic Bideau; Aldershot Farnham & District) earn selection for the men’s and women’s marathons respectively following career best performances in London on Sunday.

Hawkins and Purdue both recorded significant personal bests at the London Marathon, which acted as the British Championships and world trial, to move into third on the respective all-time UK lists, finish in the top ten and confirm their place in Doha later this year.

Hawkins, who finished fourth in the marathon at the IAAF World Championships in 2017, took more than two minutes off his personal best to set a Scottish record of 2:08:14 while Purdue shaved almost four minutes off hers in recording 2:25:38 to win the British title and underline her status as a world-class marathon runner.

Selected alongside Hawkins for the men’s marathon is Dewi Griffiths (Kevin Evans; Swansea), who confirmed his place with a solid run of 2:11:46 at the London Marathon on Sunday, only his second ever outing over the 26.2-mile distance.

Purdue, the first European home in 13th in London two years ago, will be joined in the women’s marathon by Tish Jones (Nick Anderson; Belgrave), who earned automatic selection and a British debut for Doha by finishing second in the British Championship race nailing the exact qualifying standard of 2:31:00.

As well as the marathon, two athletes have been selected to compete in the men’s 50km race walk in Doha following the trial event in March, Cameron Corbishley (Andi Drake; Medway & Maidstone) and Dominic King (George Nibre; Colchester).

On his first ever outing over the distance in Slovakia, Corbishley clocked the second quickest time ever by a British athlete and a national under-23 record, 3:53:20, to confirm his place while King was comfortably inside the standard in posting 3:56:35 in the same race.

Mo Farah (Gary Lough; Newham & Essex Beagles) and Steph Twell (Aldershot Farnham & District) were both eligible to earn selection for the marathon for the IAAF World Championships in Doha but have chosen to decline their place.

British Athletics Performance Director Neil Black said: “I am pleased to announce the first athletes selected for the British team for the IAAF World Championships in Doha later this year following what has been a high-quality qualifying period. Each of the six athletes selected have performed extremely well to confirm their places in Doha, many setting personal bests and establishing themselves among the UK’s best all-time in their events. The IAAF World Championships in Doha are a very important marker ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and we look forward to being as competitive as possible in both events.”

The British team selected for the IAAF World Championships Doha 2019:

MEN:

Marathon

Dewi Griffiths (Kevin Evans; Swansea)

Callum Hawkins (Robert Hawkins; Kilbarchan)

50km Race Walk

Cameron Corbishley (Andi Drake; Medway & Maidstone)

Dominic King (George Nibre; Colchester)

WOMEN:

Marathon

Tish Jones (Nick Anderson; Belgrave)

Charlotte Purdue (Nic Bideau; Aldershot Farnham & District)