STRONG BRITISH TEAM SELECTED FOR THE EUROPEAN 10,000M CUP

Twelve athletes will represent the British team at the European 10,000m Cup which will take place at the 2021 Müller British Athletics 10,000m Championships at the University of Birmingham on Saturday 5 June 2021.

Four-time Olympic champion Sir Mo Farah (coach: Gary Lough, club: Newham & Essex Beagles) is selected as he looks to secure his place on the British team for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

The Newham and Essex Beagles athlete is a two-time Olympic champion in the 10,000m and will be seeking a berth at his fourth Games. His last 10,000m race on the track was at the World Athletics Championships London 2017 where he secured his sixth world title.

Sam Atkin (Mike Collins, Lincoln Wellington) and Marc Scott (Jerry Schumacher, Richmond and Zetland), who are currently the only two British male athletes that hold the Olympic Games qualifying standard (27:28.00), are also selected.

Atkin ran a time of 27:26.58 in California last December, while Scott attained the standard with 27:10.41 back in February which moved him to second on the UK all-time list.

The men’s team also includes Jake Smith (James Thie, Cardiff) who in April posted a unique pair of PBs within five days of each other; 3:50.89 in the 1500m and 2:11.00 in the marathon. Emile Cairess (Alan Storey, Leeds City) and Kristian Jones (Chris Jones, Swansea) are also added to the squad.

The first two athletes at the Trial event who hold an Olympic qualifying standard will automatically qualify for Tokyo 2020.

In the women’s race, the British line-up includes Eilish McColgan (Liz Nuttall, Dundee Hawkhill) who achieved the Tokyo qualifying standard [31:25.00] back in February when she recorded a time of 30:58.94. The time moved her to fifth on the UK all-time list. She also currently holds Olympic standards over the 1500m and 5000m.

Lily Partridge (Alan Storey, Birchfield) and Jenny Nesbitt (Chris Jones, Cardiff) are second and third on the 2021 UK rankings in the 10,000m following their performances in Newport earlier this year; their times 32:33.16 and 32:44.26 respectively

Jess Judd (Mick Judd, Blackburn) earns a call-up following an impressive PB of 15:06.02 over 5000m last weekend. Meanwhile, European Indoor Championships 3000m medallists, Amy-Eloise Markovc (Chris Fox, Wakefield) and Verity Ockenden (Tony Houchin, Swansea), have also been called-up to the women’s team. The gold and bronze medallists from Torun will step up in distance as they both chase the standard for the Games.

With six women and six men selected, Great Britain and Northern Ireland will contest for team medals in both events at the European 10,000m Cup, which will be integrated into the A races on the day which will incorporate the Müller British Athletics 10,000m Championships and Trial.

Team Leader, Rob Denmark, said,

“We are pleased that we have been able to select a strong line-up for the European 10,000m Cup. We will be looking to achieve the highest possible placing in both the men’s and women’s team standings and we are confident that the athletes selected can deliver successful results on home soil.

“Significantly though, with places up for grabs for the Olympic Games as part of the Müller British Athletics 10,000m Championships, every athlete will be looking to deliver their best on the day, so I look forward to seeing how the athletes perform.”

The British team for the European Athletics 10,000m Cup on Saturday 5 June:

Women

Jessica Judd (Mick Judd, Blackburn)

Amy-Eloise Markovc (Chris Fox, Wakefield)

Eilish McColgan (Liz Nuttall, Dundee Hawkhill)

Jenny Nesbitt (Chris Jones, Cardiff)

Verity Ockenden (Tony Houchin, Swansea)

Lily Partridge (Alan Storey, Birchfield)

Men

Sam Atkin (Mike Collins, Lincoln Wellington)

Emile Cairess (Alan Storey, Leeds City)

Mo Farah (Gary Lough, Newham & Essex Beagles)