PREVIEW: 2024 MICROPLUS UK ATHLETICS INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS

The Microplus UK Athletics Indoor Championships head to the Utilita Arena in Birmingham on Saturday 17 and Sunday 18 February 2024. As we look ahead to crowning 28 UK champions this weekend, we preview the action across endurance, jumps, sprints and throws events.

The event also serves as the Official Trial event for the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland on 1-3 March 2024. With the best athletes in the country vying for places on the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for another major Championships on home soil, this will be an event not to be missed.

Endurance

Olympic and world medallist Laura Muir (Steve Vernon, Dundee Hawkhill) headlines the middle-distance events in Birmingham as she takes on the women’s 3000m just one week after breaking the European indoor record over the two-mile distance at the Millrose Games in New York, in which she ran the 3000m standard for the World Athletics Indoor Championships next month. She will face strong competition from two-time European indoor 3000m bronze medallist Melissa Courtney-Bryant (Rob Denmark, Poole), as well as Hannah Nuttall (Helen Clitheroe, Charnwood) who has been in PB form over the distance this season.

The men’s 3000m sees James West (Helen Clitheroe, Tonbridge) among the favourites after his 5000m PB last weekend in Boston [13:19.98]. Scott Beattie (Mike Bateman, Morpeth) is the fastest in the 2024 UK 3000m rankings who is competing in Birmingham.

The women’s 1500m sees three athletes who currently hold the qualifying standard for the World Indoors going head-to-head in what will be an entertaining content. Georgia Bell (Trevor Painter, Belgrave) has been in the form of her life over the last few weeks, lowering her PB to 4:03.22. Revee Walcott-Nolan (Luton) and Sarah McDonald (Andrew Walling, Birchfield) have also run inside the Glasgow mark this year.

Adam Fogg (Coventry) leads the men’s 1500m field after his blistering run at the Millrose Games when he ran a PB of 3:34.37 on his way to a mile lifetime best of 3:53.55. Callum Elson (Cambridge and Coleridge) is another athlete with a world indoors standard after running 3:53.22 in the mile in Boston.

Olympic finalist Jemma Reekie (Jon Bigg, Kilbarchan) leads the field in the women’s 800m and will take on Issy Boffey (Luke Gunn, Enfield & Haringey) and Ellie Baker (Jon Bigg, Brighton Phoenix) in what is an entertaining prospect. As for the men’s 800m, Guy Learmonth (Lasswade) will be the favourite to retain his title from 2023.

The 3000m race walks will see Cameron Corbishley (Andi Drake, Medway & Maidstone) as the favourite for the men’s title, while Abigail Jennings (Verity Snook, Aldershot Farnham and District) will be seeking to retain her title in the women’s race.

Jumps

After a phenomenal performance at the World Athletics Championships last summer where she placed fourth, UK record holder Morgan Lake (Robbie Grabarz, Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow) will be targeting another UK title in the women’s high jump. The men’s competition sees 2024 UK lead William Grimsey (Bethan Partridge, Woodford Green Essex Ladies) among those battling for gold.

After adding 8cm to her lifetime best in France earlier in this indoor season, Molly Caudery (Stuart Caudery, Thames Valley) will be favourite for UK indoor title number two in the women’s pole vault. The Cornish athlete was fifth in the world final last year and will be looking to book her place at her first world indoors in a few weeks’ time. UK record holder Harry Coppell (Wigan & District) goes in the men’s pole vault, with Owen Heard (Kate Rooney, Harrow) and Adam Hague (Trevor Fox, Sheffield & Dearne) among those also battling for the title.

Olympic finalist Abigail Irozuru (Aston Moore, Sale Harriers Manchester) takes to the runway in the long jump, while Molly Palmer (Lukasz Zawila, Thames Valley) is the highest ranked in the field so far in 2024. World Para Athletics T38 silver medallist Olivia Breen (Aston Moore, City of Portsmouth) is also in action. In the men’s long jump, Samuel Khogali (Lukasz Zawila, Woodford Green Essex Ladies) – 2022 UK champion – is the highest ranked in the field so far this season.

Lily Hulland (Femi Akinsanya, Thames Valley) – second in the 2024 UK rankings to date – leads the entries for the women’s triple jump, while 2023 champion Jude Bright-Davies (David Johnson, Thames Valley), who also competed for GB & NI at last year’s European Team Championships, leads the men’s field.

Sprints

2020 UK 60m champion Amy Hunt (Marco Airale, Charnwood) has been in good form so far in 2024, clocking 7.25 in Dusseldorf earlier this month to rank her third in the UK this year, and the quickest in the field this weekend. She will face a strong field including 10-time UK champion Asha Phillip (Amy Deem, Newham and Essex Beagles).

Jeremiah Azu (Marco Airale, Cardiff) leads the rankings in the men’s 60m after going inside the Glasgow qualifying standard with a time of 6.57 in Torun recently. He is yet to capture a UK indoor title, so will be looking to rectify that this year. He will face 2022 champion Adam Thomas (Bracknell) who has clocked a time of 6.59 this year, with Ojie Edoburun (Stuart McMillan, Enfield & Haringey) also among the entries.

The 60m para races see Commonwealth champion Olivia Breen among the favourites for victory, but she’ll take on a strong field including multiple global medallist Maria Lyle (Joe McDonnell, Team East Lothian).

The men’s race sees world T47 bronze medallist Kevin Santos (Michael Utting, City of Norwich) take on T12 silver medallist Zac Shaw (Leon Baptiste, Cleethorpes) once again after a very close finish last year where the pair were separated by a couple of thousandths; the title ultimately going to Santos. Paralympic champion Jonnie Peacock (Dan Pfaff / Benke Blomkvist, Charnwood) is also among the entries.

The women’s 200m will see world 4x400m relay medallist Ama Pipi (Linford Christie, Enfield and Haringey) in action, with Brooke Ironside (Zac Kerin, Bournemouth) – second in the 2024 UK rankings – among those to keep an eye on. Dean Patterson (David Wilson, Glasgow Jaguars) is the fastest this year in the field of the men’s 200m.

The women’s 400m looks set to be a very close contest with Laviai Nielsen (Tony Lester, Enfield and Haringey) leading the way after her impressive 51.11 – a world indoor standard – set in Lievin last week. She will be the favourite for the title but will face tough competition from 2022 champion Jessie Knight (Marina Armstrong, Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow) and fellow world 4x400m medallists Nicole Yeargin (Boogie Johnson, Pitreavie) and Ama Pipi.

The men’s 400m sees the top three in the UK ranking so far this year going head-to-head; Lee Thompson (John Henson, Sheffield & Dearne), Charlie Carvell (Stewart Marshall, Telford AC) and Ben Higgins (Stewart Marshall, Sheffield & Dearne).

Cindy Sember (Chris Johnson, Woodford Green Essex Ladies) is the big favourite for the women’s 60m hurdles, and she is in great form this year, running 7.91 in New York last weekend – the time just 0.02 seconds outside her lifetime best. Meanwhile, the men’s 60m hurdles sees Tade Ojora (Joanna Hayes, Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow) – outdoor champion – targeting a first indoor title, and he will face David King (Tim O’Neil, City of Plymouth) who has experience of being on top of the podium at the indoor championships.

Throws

Amelia Campbell (Zane Duquemin, Thames Valley) is the only athlete to have thrown over 18 metres so far this year with 18.03m in Spain last month. She will take on a stacked field including European U23 medallist Serena Vincent (Mike Winch, City of Portsmouth) and a returning world finalist, Sophie McKinna (Mark Edwards, Great Yarmouth). Two-time world heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Aston Moore, Liverpool) will compete in this event, while World Para Athletics F20 champion Sabrina Fortune (Ryan Spencer-Jones / Ian Robinson, Deeside) will also take to the centre of the track on Sunday.

Scott Lincoln (Paul Wilson, City of York) – multiple UK champion indoors and outdoors – is the overwhelming favourite after starting his 2024 strongly. His best so far in 2024 is a 21.01m in Miramas at the start of the month. World Para Athletics F63 shot put champion Aled Davies (Ryan Spencer-Jones, Cardiff) also takes to the field hoping to lay a marker at the start of Paralympic year.

Click HERE for results.

HOW TO WATCH

Saturday February 17th – https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/68204699

11.25 – 19.15

BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app

Sunday February 18th – https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/68203949

11.30 – 16.00

BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app