THROWERS SET FOR 2023 EUROPEAN CUP IN PORTUGAL

A total of 11 athletes will represent Great Britain and Northern Ireland at this weekend’s European Throwing Cup in Leiria, Portugal (11-12 March 2023).

2022 European and Commonwealth medallist Lawrence Okoye (coach: Zane Duquemin, club: Shaftesbury Barnet) will begin his 2023 season at the event, competing in the men’s discus at 15:15 GMT on Saturday. The 2012 Olympian won silver in Birmingham last summer, and then went on to seal his maiden continental bronze medal at the Championships in Munich. Nick Percy (Zane Duquemin, Shaftesbury Barnet) will join him in the competition.

Tokyo Olympian Scott Lincoln (Paul Wilson, City of York) will contest the men’s shot put in Leiria on Sunday at 16:30. The City of York athlete won Commonwealth Games bronze last summer and defended his UK Athletics Indoor Championships title in Birmingham recently. Chris Bennett (Andy Frost, Shaftesbury Barnet) will be the first senior athlete in action on Saturday in the men’s hammer.

U23 medallist at the European Throwing Cup in 2022, Charlotte Payne (Paul Dickenson, Reading AC) will look to build on her encouraging campaign last year by stepping up to the senior women’s hammer at this year’s edition. She will compete alongside her compatriot, Katie Head (Paul Head, Newham and Essex Beagles) and the duo get underway on Sunday.

Taia Tunstall (Harrow) is also in action on Sunday in the senior women’s discus, while Zara Obamakinwa (Mark Chapman, Blackheath & Bromley) goes in the U23 event later that day. Serena Vincent (Mike Winch, City of Portsmouth) contests the U23 women’s shot put on Saturday at midday.

The U23 men will be represented by Lewis Byng (Mark Edwards, Stratford-upon-Avon) in the shot put and Chukwuemaka Osammor (James Taylor, Sheffield & Dearne) in the discus; their campaigns start on Sunday and Saturday respectively.

The European Throwing Cup (Senior A events and selected other events) will be live streamed with English-language commentary on the European Athletics YouTube channel.

The Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for the European Throwing Cup, Leiria, Portugal, 11-12 March 2023:

Senior Women

Hammer

Katie Head (Paul Head, Newham and Essex Beagles)

Charlotte Payne (Paul Dickenson, Reading AC)

Discus

Taia Tunstall (Harrow)

Senior Men

Shot Put

Scott Lincoln (Paul Wilson, City of York

Discus

Lawrence Okoye (Zane Duquemin, Shaftesbury Barnet)

Nick Percy (Zane Duquemin, Shaftesbury Barnet)

Hammer

Chris Bennett (Andy Frost, Shaftesbury Barnet)

U23 Women

Shot Put

Serena Vincent (Mike Winch, City of Portsmouth)

Discus

Zara Obamakinwa (Mark Chapman, Blackheath & Bromley

U23 Men

Shot Put

Lewis Byng (Mark Edwards, Stratford-upon-Avon)

Discus

Chukwuemaka Osammor (James Taylor, Sheffield & Dearne)