UK Athletics is pleased to announce the first selections for the Novuna Great Britain and Northern Ireland team heading to Eugene later this summer for the World Athletics U20 Championships.
These selections are announced off the back off the England Athletics U20s Championships at Bedford International Stadium which hosted the World U20s Trials. Selection has been made with the aim of creating a competitive team of athletes who have the potential to achieve a top-eight finish in their event at the World Athletics U20 Championships. The full team will be announced on 23 July.
Jake Odey-Jordan (Be Fit Today Track Academy, Kevin Schnexnayder) has enjoyed a storming season on the US collegiate circuit, breaking the European U20 100m record in Oregon. Odey-Jordan has been selected for both the 100m and 200m, where he is currently ranked fourth in the world.
Phoebe Gill (St Albans AC, Mark Rowland) secured her qualification in style, setting a championship record in the 800m at Bedford. The 2024 Olympian will be joined in Eugene by Shaikira King (Wreake & Soar Valley, Jon Bigg), who won silver in the 800m at the 2024 European U18 Championships before placing fifth at the 2025 European U20 Championships.
Lyla Belshaw continues the middle distance running line up, taking to the world stage after dominating the distance in Europe, taking the 1500m European U20 title in 2025 and U18 title in 2024.
World U20 triple jump number nine Tito Odunaike (Marshall Milton Keynes AC, David Johnson) will compete in Eugene. Odunaike recently recorded a European U20-leading mark at the Mannheim International Gala and will first be heading out to Reiti, Italy to compete in the European U18s Championships next week. Also selected are Otis Poole (Yate & District AC, Joy Bray) in the high jump, and Daniel Emegbor (Harrow AC, Rohan Samuel) in the long jump. Poole took silver and Emegbor placing fifth in the respective events at the 2025 European U20 Championships in Tampere.
Lily Bradley (City of Norwich AC, Joseph McDonnell) has been selected for the 100m, winning in Bedford as well as after setting a new personal best to claim silver in Mannheim. Meanwhile, Sophie Thomas (Dunfermline Track & Field Club, Agustin Osorio) heads into the championships in impressive form after recently setting a Scottish U20 record and a European U20-leading performance over 200m.
In the distance events, cross-country specialist Michael Clark (City of Norwich AC, Jane Clarke) will contest the 3000m. Clark was part of the Great Britain and Northern Ireland U20 team that won silver at the 2025 European Cross Country Championships, and he also represented the team at the World Cross Country Championships earlier this year.
Thea Brown (Sale Harriers Manchester, Ashley Bryant) is eligible for the heptathlon and long jump and 100m hurdles, subject to final team selections. Earlier this year, she claimed bronze in the 60m hurdles at the Novuna UK Indoor Championships before securing her first pentathlon title at the UK Combined Events Indoor Championships. Brown currently ranks 11th in the world in the U20 100m hurdles and number one in the U20 long jump ranking.
Head of Performance Pathways Dan Wagner said “We are delighted to announce a strong round of first selections as we prepare for a highly anticipating World U20s Championships out in Eugene.
We look forward to announcing our full team later in the month. The Championships are a fantastic opportunity for our athletes to test themselves against the world’s best juniors, gain invaluable experience, and continue their development. We congratulate all those athletes, coaches and support teams who have been selected so far.”
The U20 Novuna Great Britain and Northern Ireland team at the 2026 World Athletics U20 Championships Oregon August 5-9:
Men
100m
James Arminio (Gloucester AC, Justin Smith)
Jake Odey-Jordan (Be Fit Today Track Academy, Kevin Schnexnayder)
200m
Mayo Alabi (Birchfield Harriers, Andy Paul)
Jake Odey-Jordan (Be Fit Today Track Academy, Kevin Schnexnayder)
800m
Matthew McKinna (Walton AC, Martin Norman)
Josh Mungin (Kilbarchan AAC, John Rodger)
1500m
James Alexander (Garscube Harriers, Alex Chalmers)
Ethan Newell (Sutton & District AC, Nick Hancock)
3000m
Michael Clark (City Of Norwich AC, Jane Clarke)
Liam Conway (Cambridge & Coleridge AC, Richard Park)
3000m Steeplechase
Bradley Andrews-Callec (Jersey Spartan AC, Steven Purser)
Dillon Millard (Taunton AC, Dave Lee)
110m Hurdles
Toby Wright (Taunton AC, Ashley Bryant)
400m Hurdles
Rayhan Mourtada (Blackheath & Bromley Harriers AC, John Blackie)
High Jump
Otis Poole (Yate & District AC, Joy Bray)
Long Jump
Daniel Emegbor (Harrow AC, Rohan Samuel)
Triple Jump
Sean Connor Atafo (Woodford Green AC with Essex Ladies, John Herbert)
Tito Odunaike (Marshall Milton Keynes AC, David Johnson)
Discus
Jacob McKinlay (Glasgow Jaguars T&F Club)
Javelin
Charlie Mason (Cheltenham and County Harriers, Carolyn Franks)
Tom Rutter (Harrow AC, Tom Dobbing)
Hammer
Wyatt Larkins (Harrow AC, Jamie Bath)
Decathlon
Samuel Newton (Tonbridge AC)
Women
100m
Lily Bradley (City Of Norwich AC, Joseph McDonnell)
200m
Sophie Thomas (Dunfermline Track & Field Club, Agustin Osorio)
400m
Casey Musgrave (City of Sheffield and Dearne AC, Mark Fowler)
800m
Phoebe Gill (St Albans AC, Mark Rowland)
Shaikira King (Wreake & Soar Valley, Jon Bigg)
1500m
Lyla Belshaw (Colchester Harriers AC, David Smith)
3000m Steeplechase
Ava James (Brighton & Hove AC, John Clements)
Tilly Nickell (Team Bath Athletic Club, Luke Gunn)
5000m
Eliza Nicholson (Joe Franklin, Blackheath & Bromley)
100m Hurdles
Thea Brown (Sale Harriers Manchester, Ashley Bryant)
Long Jump
Thea Brown (Sale Harriers Manchester, Ashley Bryant)
Daisy Snell (Blackheath & Bromley Harriers AC, Guy Spencer)
Triple Jump
Qi-Chi Ukpai (Blackheath & Bromley Harriers AC, John Herbert)
Shot Put
Alani Dumbuya (Leigh Harriers & AC, Mark Edwards)
Javelin
Harriet Wheeler (West Cheshire Athletic Club)
Heptathlon
Thea Brown (Sale Harriers Manchester, Ashley Bryant)
Matilda Quick (Swansea Harriers, Steve Ingram)
