A team of 11 athletes will represent Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the inaugural World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia on Sunday 1 October.

GB & NI will have athletes going in the one mile, 5km and half marathon races at the first staging of these Championships.

Calli Thackery (Hallamshire) leads the women’s half marathon quartet after her Trial victory at the Big Half earlier this month. She will be joined by Abbie Donnelly (Rob Lewis, Lincoln Wellington), Clara Evans (Pontypridd) and Samantha Harrison (Vince Wilson, Charnwood) in the women’s race where individual and team medals are up for grabs.

Meanwhile, Jack Rowe (Tim Eglen, Aldershot Farnham & District), Mahamed Mahamed (Idris Hamud, Southampton) and Jonny Mellor (Liverpool) will take on the men’s half marathon around the streets of Riga.

Scott Beattie (Mike Bateman, Morpeth) and Verity Ockenden (Swansea) will line up for GB & NI in the men’s women’s 5km race respectively. Unfortunately Tom Mortimer has withdrawn from the men’s 5km race with an Achilles injury.

In the shorter distances, Callum Elson (Cambridge & Coleridge) goes in the men’s one mile race, while Sarah McDonald (Andrew Walling, Birchfield) is called-up for the women’s contest.

The World Athletics Road Running Championships will be broadcast on the BBC iPlayer, Red Button and BBC Sport website from 9:40am on Sunday 1 October.

More event info HERE. 

The Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia on Sunday 1 October:

Senior women

One Mile

Sarah McDonald (Andrew Walling, Birchfield)

5km

Verity Ockenden (Swansea)

Half Marathon

Abbie Donnelly (Rob Lewis, Lincoln Wellington)

Clara Evans (Pontypridd)

Samantha Harrison (Vince Wilson, Charnwood)

Calli Thackery (Hallamshire)

Senior men

One Mile

Callum Elson (Cambridge and Coleridge)

5km

Scott Beattie (Mike Bateman, Morpeth)

Half Marathon

Mahamed Mahamed (Idris Hamud, Southampton)

Jonny Mellor (Liverpool)

Jack Rowe (Tim Eglen, Aldershot Farnham and District)

Team Staff

Mark Pollard – Team Leader

Jo Wilkinson – Team Coach

Liz Yelling – Team Coach

Laura Moss – Physiotherapist