Over 200 athletes have confirmed their entry for the Müller British Athletics Championships with six weeks to go including World Championship silver medallist Shara Proctor (coach: Rana Reider; club: Birchfield Harriers) and world champions Stef Reid (Aston Moore; Charnwood) and Sabrina Fortune (Ian Robinson; Deeside).

Following official invites being sent last week, the number of athletes confirmed to compete in Manchester from September 4-5 has surpassed 200 with Proctor and Reid’s appearance setting up a world class women’s long jump with Abigail Irozuru and Jazmin Sawyers having made the decision to star two weeks ago.

Fortune, who added the world F20 shot put title to her European crown last year, will compete once again in an integrated field in the women’s shot put as will five-time Paralympic medallist Dan Greaves (self-coached; Charnwood) in the men’s discus and world record holder in the F41 shot  put Kyron Duke (Anthony Hughes / Josh Clark; DSW Para Academy) in the men’s shot put.

Zak Seddon (Jeff Seddon; Bracknell), Britain’s first finalist in the men’s 3000m steeplechase at a World Championships since 1983, is the latest in a long list of British champions from 2019 confirmed to defend his title with Spencer Thomas (Jon Bigg; Brighton Phoenix), who won a dramatic men’s 800m final last year, among the next wave back to defend his title in Manchester.

Sprint hurdler David King (City of Plymouth), holder of both the 60m indoor and 110m outdoor titles for the first time in his career, joins Seddon and Thomas aiming to regain their British champion status as does Allan Smith (Bryan Roy; Shaftesbury Barnet) in the men’s high jump after ending a five-year wait for gold last year.

Amelia Strickler (Zane Duquemin; Thames Valley) will be bidding to add the outdoor crown in the women’s shot put to the indoor success she achieved in Glasgow in February as does Adam Hague (Trevor Fox; Sheffield & Dearne) in the men’s pole vault.

European champion in 2018 as part of the British men’s 4x100m relay team Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (Benke Blomkvist; Sutton & District) will travel to Manchester while Marc Scott (Jerry Schumacher; Cambridge & Coleridge) and Chris Baker (Graham Ravenscroft; Sale Harriers Manchester) will look to top the Müller British Athletics Championships podium once again after wins in the 5000m and high jump back in 2018.

Cherry Alexander, Major Events Director at British Athletics, said: “The Müller British Athletics Championships are really starting to take shape with over 200 athletes confirming that they will compete in Manchester in September. We have announced a host of star names over the past two weeks and the latest list is no different and shows that the level of competition will be extremely high. It is fantastic to see our best para athletes choosing to compete as part of integrated fields once again and we look forward to more of the same as we countdown over the next six weeks.”

With the championships being broadcast live on Friday night on BBC2, extended to 1800-2100 and Saturday, afternoon on BBC1, 1315-1630, Britain’s best athletes will be lining up to provide athletics fans with their fix of the country’s favourite Olympic and Paralympic sport.

The format and shape of the competition and guidelines that will be adhered to for competitors and those helping to stage the Championships will be subject to the government guidelines in place and will be communicated in due course.

The Müller British Athletics Championships will be broadcast live on Friday night on BBC2, 1800-2100 and Saturday, afternoon on BBC1, 1315-1630.