UK Athletics has confirmed the team of marathon athletes representing Novuna Great Britain and Northern Ireland (GB & NI) at the 2026 European Championships in Birmingham.
The marathon will take place on Sunday 16 August, with athletes racing through the heart of Birmingham on a free-to-watch course showcasing Europe’s best endurance runners.
This selection has been made in line with the policy aims of achieving top‑eight individual placings and maximising the potential for team medal success.
After a standout performance at the TCS London Marathon, finishing as the second Brit with a time of 2:26:14, Rose Harvey (Clapham Chasers, Alistair and Amy Cragg) makes the team. In 2023, she became the fifth fastest British female marathon runner of all time.
She is joined by Louise Small (Aldershot, Farnham And District Athletic Club, ), who was the third British athlete home at the London Marathon and will be wearing the British vest for the first time since 2018. Welsh endurance runner and Paris Olympian, Clara Evans (Pontypridd Roadents AC) , will also line up in Birmingham. Their selection is subject to the final European Athletics Road to Birmingham ranking positions, which will be finalised on 30 July.
Eritrean-born athlete, Weynay Ghebresilasie (Sunderland Harriers & Athletics Club) finished as the third Brit home at the 2025 London Marathon will join Tewelde Menges (Medway & Maidstone), who made his elite London Marathon debut this year, makes up the men’s team.
These athletes join the already selected Abbie Donnelly (Lincoln Wellington Athletic Club, Robin Lewis) , Natasha Wilson (Mickey Morris Racing Team, Rob Hawkins) in the women’s event and Mahamed Mahamed (Southampton Athletic Club, Idris Hamud) , Jonny Mellor (Liverpool Harriers AC, Steve Vernon)and Phil Sesemann (Leeds City Athletic Club, Andrew Henderson) in the men’s.
Tom Craggs, World Class Programme Endurance Lead at UK Athletics said:
“Congratulations to all athletes selected for the marathon, who will proudly wear the Novuna Great Britain and Northern Ireland vest at the 2026 European Championships.
“Racing through the heart of Birmingham on a free‑to‑watch course will create a special atmosphere, and the support of a home crowd will be a huge boost for the team.”
The Novuna Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for the European Championships – Marathon race in Birmingham 2026:
Women
Abbie Donnelly (Lincoln Wellington AC, Rob Lewis)
Natasha Wilson (Micky Morris Racing Team, Rob Hawkins)
Clara Evans (Pontypridd Roadents AC)
Louise Small (Aldershot, Farnham And District Athletic Club, )
Rose Harvey (Clapham Chasers, Alistair and Amy Cragg)
Men
Mahamed Mahamed (Southampton AC, Idris Hamud)
Jonny Mellor (Liverpool Harriers AC, Steve Vernon)
Phil Sesemann (Leeds City, Andy Henderson)
Weynay Ghebresilasie (Sunderland Harriers & Athletics Club)
Tewelde Menges (Medway and Maidstone AC)
*Please note that not all eligible athletes wished to be considered for selection for the Novuna GB & NI team
