Gourley to lead GB & NI team at World Athletics Indoor Championships

UK Athletics has announced GB & NI 1500m athlete Neil Gourley (Stephen Haas, Giffnock North) as Team Captain for this weekend’s World Athletics Indoor Championships in Nanjing, China.

Gourley, who opens his championship campaign on Friday evening (local) will address his teammates with the traditional captain’s speech at the final team meeting ahead of the event this evening

Gourley has been wearing the GB vest since 2015 when he won the European U23 1500m bronze. He won the European Indoor silver in 2023 over the same distance and just last month he broke the British men’s indoor 1000m record in Birmingham.

In what can easily be regarded as one of GB’s most competitive disciplines (men’s 1500) where athletes need to be the best in the world just to make the team, he has represented GB across all senior major championships a dozen times since 2019.

Neil Gourley said: “I was worried at first because I got a missed call and text from Tommy (Yule) this weekend which said ‘give me a call back as soon as you can’ and immediately I was worried thinking ‘oh no what haven’t I done in preparation for China am I in trouble’!

“Thankfully it was nice news being nominated as Captain, really honoured. I am taking it as a compliment and really glad they have confidence in me in that respect.

“I hope I can bring a supportive atmosphere to the team, I think being a smaller team we are all invested in what each other is doing at these championships so I hope I can inspire that environment at the very least and lead by example.

“The level is so high to even be here at the Worlds, so I wouldn’t claim to have all this wisdom I can impart to my teammates but I do think there is such a great level of mutual respect across all of us in the events we do, and that respect for each other really comes through and hopefully we’ll have a great Championships.”

The GB & NI team now comprises 11 athletes following the withdrawal of two athletes in the last few days. Both George Mills (Thomas Dreissigacker, Brighton Phoenix), and Innes FitzGerald (Gavin Pavey, Exeter) have both unfortunately suffered illness since Apeldoorn and were unable to travel.

The Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for the World Athletics Indoors Championships, Nanjing, China (21-23 March):

Women 

60m

Amy Hunt (Marco Airale, Charnwood)

400m

Amber Anning (Chris Johnson, Brighton & Hove)

1500m

Georgia Hunter Bell (Trevor Painter, Belgrave)

Revee Walcott Nolan (Thomas Dreissigacker, Luton)

Pole Vault

Molly Caudery (Scott Simpson, Thames Valley)

Long Jump

Funminiyi Olajide (Geraldine Heapy, Thurrock)

Men

60m

Jeremiah Azu (Helen James, Cardiff)

Andy Robertson (Alex O’Gorman, Sale Harriers Manchester)

1500m

Adam Fogg (Cory Leslie, Coventry)

Neil Gourley (Stephen Haas, Giffnock North)

Shot put

Scott Lincoln (Dale Stevenson. City of York)

Team Staff

Team Leader – Tommy Yule

Sharon Morris – Team Manager

Team Coaches – Darren Campbell, Dan Stepney

Team Biomech – Lalande Esterhuysen

Team Physiotherapists – Rebecca Knight, Bobby Sourbuts

Team Medic – Dr Leon Creaney