WORLD PARA ATHLETICS MEDALLISTS AND FINALISTS RECOGNISED IN 2020 PARALYMPIC WCP

British Athletics has today announced that 46 athletes have been offered membership to the Paralympic World Class Programme (WCP) in 2020.

20 world medallists from the 2019 edition of the World Para Athletics Championships are included on the programme.

World medallists Harri Jenkins (Nathan Stephens; DSW Para Academy), Derek Rae (Ron Morrison; Fife), Vanessa Wallace (Alison O’Riordan; Enfield & Haringey) and Thomas Young (Joe McDonnell; Charnwood) have been promoted to the Podium level of funding from Podium Potential after exceptional performances during 2019.

Rae won world silver at the London Marathon last April, which incorporated the world championship event in the T46 category. It was his first medal on the international stage, and he heads into the Paralympic Games in Tokyo as one of the highest ranked in the classification.

Young was agonisingly close to sealing men’s T38 100m gold in Dubai, missing out by just 0.001 seconds to China’s Dening Zhu, taking home the silver.

Like Young, Wallace and Jenkins followed European gold in 2018 with a world medal in 2019. Wallace sealed bronze in the F34 shot put, throwing a personal best of 7.66 metres in the process. Meanwhile, Jenkins bagged the bronze behind compatriot Andrew Small (Rick Hoskins; Stockport) in the T33 100m.

Five world finalists are added to the Podium Potential level. Fourth placer in the F35 shot put, Anna Nicholson (Richard Kaufman; Gateshead) and F12 shot putter, Lydia Church (Jim Edwards; Peterborough & Nene Valley), who was seventh, add to the growing list of throws athletes supported on the WCP.

Dubai finalists Ola Abidogun (Steve Thomas; Horwich), Owen Miller (Steven Doig; Fife) and Hannah Taunton (Charlotte Fisher; Taunton) are also supported. Abidogun is a Paralympic bronze medallist from 2012, whilst Miller, who is currently supported by the British Athletics Futures Academy Programme, and Taunton who has recently graduated from it, both join the WCP after making their senior international debuts in the T20 1500m at the world championships.

Para Athletics Head Coach at British Athletics, Paula Dunn, said;

“As we are well into Paralympic year, it is great to announce the 2020 World Class Programme cohort following the late world championships last year. Several athletes stepped up last season and have moved up to Podium level, which has been thoroughly deserved, while I’m delighted to welcome five athletes to the WCP at Podium Potential level.

“My thanks as ever go to the coaches, families and friends who are all part of the crucial support network for the athletes. Without them, it would not be possible. I would also like to extend my thanks to UK Sport and the National Lottery for funding and supporting our world-class programme; their support is incredibly important.”

The British Athletics WCP is UK Sport’s National Lottery-funded initiative to support the delivery of success at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Membership onto the WCP for 2020 is based upon an athletes’ potential to win a medal at Tokyo 2020 or Paris 2024.

There are two levels of membership on the Paralympic World Class Programme; ‘Podium’ and ‘Podium Potential’. The announcement of the Olympic World Class Programme took place in December last year.

Athletes can use their discretion should they not wish to accept membership to the WCP.

Paralympic Podium (28):

Kare Adenegan (Job King; Coventry)

Hollie Arnold (David Turner; Blackheath & Bromley)

Olivia Breen (Aston Moore; City of Portsmouth)

Jonathan Broom-Edwards (Graham Ravenscroft; Newham & Essex Beagles)

Jo Butterfield (Phil Peat / Shona Malcolm; Forth Valley Flyers)

Richard Chiassaro (Jenni Banks; Harlow)

Libby Clegg (Joe McDonnell; Charnwood)

Hannah Cockroft (Jenni Banks; Leeds City)

Kadeena Cox (Joe McDonnell; Sale Harriers Manchester)

Aled Davies (Ryan Spencer Jones; Cardiff)

David Devine (Tony Clarke, Liverpool)

Kyron Duke (Anthony Hughes / Josh Clark; DSW Para Academy)

Sabrina Fortune (Ian Robinson; Deeside)

Dan Greaves (Self; Charnwood)

Sophie Hahn (Leon Baptiste; Charnwood)

Harri Jenkins (Nathan Stephens; DSW Para Academy)

Sophie Kamlish (Rob Ellchuk; Bristol & West)

Sammi Kinghorn (Ian Mirfin; Red Star)

Maria Lyle (Jamie Bowie; Team East Lothian)

Stephen Miller (Ros Miller; Gateshead)

Jonnie Peacock (Michael Khmel / Dan Pfaff; Charnwood)

Gemma Prescott (Mike Wood; British Wheelchair Athletics Association)

Derek Rae (Ron Morrison; Fife)

Stef Reid (Aston Moore; Charnwood)

Andrew Small (Rick Hoskins; Stockport)

Vanessa Wallace (Alison O’Riordan; Enfield & Haringey)

Richard Whitehead (Keith Antoine; Southwell)

Thomas Young (Joe McDonnell; Charnwood)

Paralympic Podium Potential (16):

Ola Abidogun (Steve Thomas; Horwich)

Martina Barber (Paddy O’Shea; Stevenage & North Herts)

Lydia Church (Jim Edwards; Peterborough & Nene Valley)

Dillon Labrooy (Jenny Archer; Weir Archer Academy)

Nathan Maguire (Ste Hoskins; Kirkby)

Polly Maton (Daniel Hooker; Team Devizes)

Owen Miller (Steven Doig; Fife)

Anna Nicholson (Richard Kaufman; Gateshead)

Zac Shaw (Leon Baptiste; Cleethorpes)

Luke Sinnott (Roger Keller; Bournemouth)

Zak Skinner (Aston Moore; Loughborough Students)

Ali Smith (Chris Zah; Guildford & Godalming)

JohnBoy Smith (Self)

Hannah Taunton (Charlotte Fisher; Taunton)

Isaac Towers (Peter Wyman; Kirkby)

David Weir (Jenny Archer; Weir Archer Academy)

Guide runners (2):

Chris Clarke (Joe McDonnell; Marshall Milton Keynes)

Thomas Somers (Lloyd Cowan; Newham & Essex Beagles)