GB & NI U20 TEAM NAMED FOR 2024 LOUGHBOROUGH INTERNATIONAL

The Great Britain and Northern Ireland U20 team has been announced today for the Loughborough International which is taking place this Sunday 19 May.

The World Athletics U20 Championships in Lima, Peru in August will be this season’s prime target for many of those selected with this Sunday’s event an ideal opportunity to gain international experience in a competitive environment.  For some, the European U18 Championships in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia in July may also be the summer target.

Competition in Loughborough will be at a high level with teams from England, Scotland and Wales plus Loughborough University all competing as well as a number of guest spots available for those not selected but looking to secure selection at the World U20s. An NAL select team will also be submitted.

Hurdler, Sam Lunt (Andrew Fraser, Wirral) will be competing in the Loughborough International for the second successive year. Following his victory in the 400m hurdles last year, he went on to finish seventh in the European Junior Championship final in August. This summer he is currently ranked number one in Europe after his 51.82 season opener. The Wirral athlete will also go in the 4 x 400m relay as part of the UKA relay programme.

Joining him in the one-lap relay squad is decathlete, Thomas Bennett (Jim Kidd, Taunton), who is focusing on the 400m for the championships and is selected after his 47.48 at the Somerset County Championships this weekend placed him first in the UK U20 rankings.

Another multi-eventer, Thea Brown (Joanne Harding, Sale Harriers) will focus on the high jump on Sunday looking to emulate her silver medal from the Commonwealth Youth Games last summer. With the European U18 standards already secured in high jump, long jump, 100m hurdles and the heptathlon, the Manchester based athlete will be aiming to get closer to her outdoor PB, 1.84m from last year and the World U20 Standard of 1.86m if conditions on Sunday are conducive.

After a very impressive indoor season, 16-year-old Joel Masters (Jon Humphries-Cuff, BFT Track Academy/Rugby & Northampton) runs in the 100m following a 10.62 PB in his first outdoor event of the year last month and will be seeking selection for the European U18s this summer.

In the men’s 800m, Henry Jonas (Tim Ash, City of Norwich), ranked one in the UK under-20 rankings, will be confident after his BUCS win earlier this month and will be looking to build on his personal best of 1:49.32 to get closer to the World Junior Standard of 1:48.00. With Phoebe Gill (Deborah Steer, St Albans) unavailable, Eleanor Strevens (Christopher Voice, Eastbourne) takes the female 800m spot following a big PB of 2:07.07 earlier this month.

Seventeen-year-old, Ayesha Jones (Janina Pownall, Marshall Milton Keynes) competes in the javelin throw following her outstanding international debut last year when she broke the Commonwealth Youth Games record throwing a PB of 52.49m (JT500) to be crowned champion in Trinbago. Now throwing the heavier javelin (JT600) her PB this year is 49.28m.

The Loughborough International will again include several para events. Madeline Down (Mike Bennett, Halesowen) will go in the T38 100m for her third successive appearance at the event. Part of the British Athletics Paralympic Futures Programme, the West Midlands athlete earnt two medals at the Commonwealth Youth Games last year taking gold in the T38 100m and long jump in her first call-up to an England team.

Darren Ritchie, Team Leader, said, “Once again the Loughborough International provides a huge opportunity for our young athletes in their championship journey be that to the World U20s, the European U18s or future international events. The experience on Sunday will be invaluable in terms of preparation, participation and everything that entails set in a competitive environment.

“I would like to congratulate all those selected especially those earning their first British vest and look forward to meeting all of them for an exciting and very full day of competition.”

The Loughborough International is a key competition opportunity in the British Athletics Olympic Performance Pathway which aims to provide opportunities to prepare, confirm and support promising young athletes on their journey towards future Olympic success.

The event, which gets underway at 11am on Sunday. For more information on the competition, please go to https://www.lboro.ac.uk/sport/sports/athletics/loughborough-international-athletics/

The Great Britain and Northern Ireland Under 20 team selected for the Loughborough International:

Women

100m: Mabel Akande (Denise Timmis, Lincoln Wellington)

100m Para: Madeline Down (Mike Bennett, Halesowen)

200m: Kissiwaa Mensah (Prince Duwai, Chelmsford)

400m: Kara Dacosta (Stephen Ball, Trafford)

800m: Eleanor Strevens (Christopher Voice, Eastbourne)

Mile: Ava Lloyd (Trevor Painter, Wigan & District)

3000m: Isobelle Jones (Wolverhampton & Bilston)

3000m Steeplechase: Ella Davey (Shireen Higgins, Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow)

100m Hurdles: Jessica Duncton (Paul Gripton, Birchfield Harriers)

400m Hurdles: Arabella Wilson (Andrew Fisher, Winchester)

High Jump: Thea Brown (Joanne Harding, Sale Harriers Manchester)

Pole Vault: Isabella Turner (Dacorum)

Long Jump: Daisy Snell (Guy Spencer, Blackheath & Bromley)

Triple Jump: Julie-Anne Boachie (Harrow/Loughborough Students)

Shot Put: Cleo Agyepong (John Hillier, Blackheath & Bromley)

Hammer: Amelia Fettis (Newport Harriers)

Discus: Nubia Evans-Shields (Mark Chapman, City of Plymouth)

Javelin: Ayesha Jones (Janina Pownall, Marshall Milton Keynes)

4x100m Relay: Renee Regis (Darren Braithwaite, Shaftesbury Barnett); Faith Akinbileje (John Blackie, Blackheath & Bromley); Kissiwaa Mensah (Prince Duwai, Chelmsford); Mabel Akande (Denise Timmis, Lincoln Wellington); Callia Downey (Tamunonengiye-Ofori Ossai, BFT Track Academy); Jess Duncton (Paul Gripton, Birchfield Harriers)

4 x 400m Relay: Kara Dacosta (Stephen Ball, Trafford); Rebecca Grieve (Francis Smith, Woodford Green & Essex Ladies); Charlotte Henrich (Nigel Stickings, Invicta East Kent); Jessica Astill (Paul Keeble, Stevenage & North Herts); Emma Holmes (Victor Oyesola, West Cheshire)

Men

100m: Joel Masters (Jon Humphries-Cuff, BFT Track Academy/Rugby & Northampton)

100m T37 Para : Tomi Roberts-Jones (Morgan Jones, Newport Harriers)

200m: Dean Patterson (David Watson, Glasgow Jaguars)

400m: Thomas Bennett  (Jim Kidd, Taunton)

400m T20 Para: Travis Anderson (Durham)

800m: Henry Jonas (Tim Ash, City of Norwich)

Mile: George Couttie (Joanne Day, Harrogate/Charleston)

1500m T12 Para:  Arthur Miles (Trevor Cummings, St Mary’s Richmond)

3000m: Corey Campbell (Alister Russell, Team East Lothian)

3000m Steeplechase: Alexander Sproston (Kyle Bennett, Crawley)

110m Hurdles: Daniel Goriola (Tony Jarrett, Blackheath & Bromley)

400m Hurdles: Samuel Lunt (Andrew Fraser, Wirral)

High Jump: Ethan Glyde (Denis Doyle, City of Plymouth)

Pole Vault: William Lane (Trevor Fox, Sheffield & Dearne)

Long Jump: Sam Wright (Simon Hemmings, Chelmsford)

Triple Jump: Brandon Lee (Joe McColgan, Mansfield)

Shot Put: Isaac Kambamba Delaney (Greg Beard, Preston)

Hammer: Kai Barham (Dartford Harriers)

Discus: Teddy Gannon (Gary Power, Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow)

Javelin: Scott Hopper (Robert Wilkie, Glasgow jaguars

4x100m Relay: Rhys Elias (Martin White, Mansfield); Ebuka Nwokeji (Ty Holden, Shaftesbury Barnet); Dean Patterson (David Watson, Glasgow Jaguars); Joel Masters (Jon Humphries-Cuff, BFT Track Academy/Rugby & Northampton); Ezekiel Lowe (Victoria Park/Tower Hamlets); Henry Christer (John Davis, Basingstoke & Mid Hants)

4 x 400m Relay: Alex Houchin (Stewart Marshall, Worcester/Loughborough Students); Stanley Chevous (Lee Bowker, Ipswich); Sam Lunt (Andrew Fraser, Wirral), Thomas Bennett (Jim Kidd, Taunton); Demari Gumbs (Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow)

Team Staff

Team Leader – Darren Ritchie

Team Manager – Sharon Morris

Team Coach Sprints & Relays – Jake Awe

Team Coach Hurdles & Relays – Julie Pratt-Benterman

Team Coach Endurance – Hayley Hemmings & Laura Weightman

Team Coach Throws – Mark Chapman & Tom Dobbing

Team Coach Jumps – John Herbert & Allan Hamilton

Team Therapist – Rebecca Knight