A team of 12 athletes has been selected to represent Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the inaugural World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia on Sunday 1 October.
The athletes have been selected to compete in the one mile, 5km and half marathon races at the first staging of these Championships.
Calli Thackery (Hallamshire) leads the women’s half marathon quartet after her Trial victory at the Big Half last week. She will be joined by Abbie Donnelly (Rob Lewis, Lincoln Wellington), Clara Evans (Pontypridd) and Samantha Harrison (Vince Wilson, Charnwood) in the women’s race where individual and team medals are up for grabs.
Meanwhile, Trials winner, Jack Rowe (Tim Eglen, Aldershot Farnham & District), Mahamed Mahamed (Idris Hamud, Southampton) and Jonny Mellor (Liverpool) will take on the men’s half marathon around the streets of Riga.
Following the UK Road Championships in Newcastle / Gateshead on Friday, Scott Beattie (Mike Bateman, Morpeth) and Tom Mortimer (Chris and Sonia McGeorge, Stroud) take the spots in the men’s 5km race, while Verity Ockenden (Swansea) assured her place in the team after a road 5km personal best of 15:26 at the trial.
In the shorter distances, Callum Elson (Cambridge & Coleridge) will represent GB & NI in the men’s one mile race, while Sarah McDonald (Andrew Walling, Birchfield) is called-up for the women’s contest.
Team Leader, Mark Pollard, said, “The World Athletics Road Running Championship is an excellent opportunity for these athletes to gain valuable experience at the global level. After two competitive trial events over the past week, we are pleased to be selecting several athletes to represent the country in Latvia next month.”
The Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for the World Athletics Road Running Championships in Riga, Latvia on Sunday 1 October:
Senior women
One Mile
Sarah McDonald (Andrew Walling, Birchfield)
5km
Verity Ockenden (Swansea)
Half Marathon
Abbie Donnelly (Rob Lewis, Lincoln Wellington)
Clara Evans (Pontypridd)
Samantha Harrison (Vince Wilson, Charnwood)
Calli Thackery (Hallamshire)
Senior men
One Mile
Callum Elson (Cambridge and Coleridge)
5km
Scott Beattie (Mike Bateman, Morpeth)
Tom Mortimer (Chris and Sonia McGeorge, Stroud)
Half Marathon
Mahamed Mahamed (Idris Hamud, Southampton)
Jonny Mellor (Liverpool)
Jack Rowe (Tim Eglen, Aldershot Farnham and District)
Team Staff
Mark Pollard – Team Leader
Tom Craggs – Team Coach
Liz Yelling – Team Coach
Laura Moss – Physiotherapist
