17th May 2018

HIGHGATE SET FOR EUROPEAN 10,000M CUP

The 22nd edition of the European 10,000m Cup will take place this weekend in London for the first time in conjunction with the Night of the 10,000m PBs at Parliament Hill.

The event additionally serves as the British Championships and trial event for the 10,000m for this summer’s European Championships in Berlin in August.

Only two Brits have previously won the European 10,000m Cup – Paula Radcliffe in 1999 and 2001 and Sir Mo Farah in 2010.

Exactly 99 athletes from 25 different nations will take part in the European 10,000m Cup with ten athletes set to pull on the British vest.

Jenny Nesbitt (David Walker; Worcester) leads the five women selected, fresh from her Commonwealth Games debut on the Gold Coast where she received a late call up for Wales in the 10,000m.

Charlotte Arter (Chris Jones; Cardiff) and Faye Fullerton (Georgina Fullerton; Havering) are set to wear the British vest again after both earned selection for the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in March.

Louise Small (Mick Woods; Aldershot, Farnham & District) and Claire Duck (Mike Baxter; Leeds City) both return to the European 10,000m Cup having made the British team 12 months ago but Phoebe (Woods; Kingston & Poly) Law has withdrawn.

Like Arter and Fullerton, Ben Connor (Steve Vernon; Derby), Luke Traynor (Andrew Kastor; Glasgow City) and Mohamud Aadan (Paul Oppe; Thames Valley) all competed at the IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Valencia in March and now form part of the five British men chosen.

Promising 20-year-old Alex Yee (Kenneth Pike; Kent) earns his maiden senior British visit and Sam Stabler (Rob Denmark; Wreak & Soar Valley) completes the team with victory in Armagh in February among his efforts this year. Ross Millington (Vernon; Stockport) has also withdrawn.

Britain will contest for team medals in both events at the European 10,000m Cup, which will be integrated into the A races at the Night of 10,000 PBs.

A further 20 British athletes will contest those A races with Andy Vernon (Nic Bideau, Aldershot, Farnham & District), like Connor, having already achieved the European qualification standard, doing so at the Commonwealth Games.

European silver medallist from 2010 Chris Thompson (Aldershot, Farnham & District) returns to Parliament Hill for the second time while Emelia Gorecka (Aldershot, Farnham & District) prepares for her first ever 10,000m race.

The European qualifying standards are set at 28:20.00 for men and 32:30.00 for women. The top two British athletes in each race will be automatically selected for the Europeans, provided they have the qualification standard.

The event will be broadcast on the BBC Sport website. A full list of start times can be found here.

The British team selected to #REPRESENT at the European 10,000m Cup London 2018:

Men:

Ben Connor (Steve Vernon; Derby)

Alex Yee (Kenneth Pike; Kent)

Luke Traynor (Andrew Kastor; Glasgow City)

Mohamud Aadan (Paul Oppe; Thames Valley)

Sam Stabler (Rob Denmark; Wreake & Soar Valley)

Women:

Charlotte Arter (Chris Jones; Cardiff)

Jenny Nesbitt (David Walker; Worcester)

Louise Small (Mick Woods; Aldershot, Farnham & District)

Claire Duck (Mike Baxter; Leeds City)

Faye Fullerton (Georgina Fullerton; Havering)