Several more athletes have accepted their places at next month’s UK Athletics Indoor Championships at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham on 18-19 February.

Joining a number of athletes who were confirmed two weeks ago as the one month countdown began, are European bronze medallist Jazmin Sawyers (coach: Aston Moore, club: City of Stoke), Reece Prescod (Marco Airale, Enfield and Haringey), and reigning UK Indoor champions, Sophie McKinna (Paul Wilson, Great Yarmouth) and Bethan Davies (Andi Drake, Cardiff).

Sawyers secured a marvellous bronze medal at the European outdoor Championships in August last year, the second continental medal of her career. A two-time UK indoor champion, Sawyers has plenty of experience in championship long jump competitions, so will have her eyes on title number three in Birmingham.

Prescod ran 6.60 at the World Indoor Tour Bronze meeting in Manchester last Saturday, and he will join the likes of Jeremiah Azu (Airale, Cardiff), Ojie Edoburun (Shaftesbury Barnet) and Eugene Amo-Dadzie (Steve Fudge, Woodford Green Essex Ladies) in the 60m; all four have run inside the qualifying standard for the European Indoor Championships so far this season.

2019 World finalist Sophie McKinna will look to light up the Utilita Arena as she targets UK Indoor shot-put title number four next month. After victories in 2019, 2021 and 2022, the Great Yarmouth athlete will take centre stage on Sunday afternoon as she targets a place on the team for the European Indoor Championships in Istanbul in March.

2018 Commonwealth Games medallist Bethan Davies once again leads the way in the 3000m Race Walk which will unfold alongside the men’s race on day two of the Championships.

Ellie Baker (Jon Bigg, Shaftesbury Barnet), who was fourth over 800m at the European Indoors in 2021, has accepted invitations for the four-lap contest and the 1500m in Birmingham. World Championship 3000m Steeplechase finalist, Aimee Pratt (Vicente Modahl, Sale Harriers Manchester) is listed for the women’s 1500m and 3000m, as is European and Commonwealth Games 1500m finalist, Katie Snowden (Herne Hill). After running a personal best of 6.98 at the Championships last year, Zac Shaw (Leon Baptiste, Cleethorpes) will be back on the track in the para 60m.

Thousands of tickets have already been snapped up by fans, get hold of your tickets so you don’t miss out on the return of athletics to Birmingham next month. Tickets start from just £13 for adults, £11 for seniors/students and only £8 for juniors with an exclusive hospitality package also available.