Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (coach: Ryan Freckleton, club: Newham and Essex Beagles) will captain the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for the World Athletics Championships Oregon 2022 which starts on Friday 15 July.
A 4x100m relay 2017 world champion, Mitchell-Blake has been honoured with the role for the Championships. He booked his place at the Muller UK Athletics Championships last month when he ran a time of 20.05 to win the men’s 200m. He’ll compete in the 200m and be part of the 4x100m relay squad in Eugene.
Mitchell-Blake, a two-time Olympian, also won relay silver at the 2019 worlds in Doha and is a two-time European relay medallist.
The 28-year-old said on receiving the captaincy, “Initially I was just so nervous because coming into the trip, I had thought about it [being captain] but I never thought I’d actually be named as captain, so it is a proud moment for me. Although it is an individual sport in large, to be the voice of this amazing array of talented athlete for this Championships is exciting.
“When I was told [about the captaincy] I wanted to put a lot of thought into my speech. It was a unique opportunity for me to be heard. I’ve spoken to most of my peers before but not on that level. If anyone wasn’t locked in or focused at that point, I hope my speech inspired them and allowed them to believe in themselves and truly give it their best shot on the biggest stage.”
On the Championships, he added, “I think I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in coming into these Championships. There are no limits on what I believe I can achieve. There are some amazing athletes from all around the world, but I really feel like I can go out there and compete. This year I feel like I am in the mix (individually), and I want to go out and show the world that.”
Olympic Head Coach, Christian Malcolm, added, “Nethaneel will be a fantastic captain for the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team, and he represents the key values you look for in a leader. He’s resilient, hard-working and someone who is highly respected by the team. He gave a great captain speech which every athlete on the team could connect with.
“He has competed at the very top level for the country and excelled on the international stage several times. He’s only 28-years-old but has so much experience to share with his teammates, so I wish him the very best in his role as team captain.”
The Championships get underway on Friday 15 July with the first British athlete in action at 17:05 BST.
The Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for the World Athletics Championships Oregon 2022:
Women
100m:
Dina Asher-Smith (John Blackie, Blackheath & Bromley)
Daryll Neita (Marco Airale, Cambridge Harriers)
Imani-Lara Lansiquot (Stuart McMillan, Sutton & District)
200m:
Dina Asher-Smith (John Blackie, Blackheath & Bromley)
Beth Dobbin (Leon Baptiste, Edinburgh)
400m:
Victoria Ohuruogu (Christine Ohuruogu, Newham & Essex Beagles)
Ama Pipi (Marco Airale, Enfield and Haringey)
Nicole Yeargin (Boogie Johnson, Pitreavie)
800m:
Ellie Baker (Jon Bigg, Shaftesbury Barnet)
Alex Bell (Andrew Henderson, Pudsey & Bramley)
Keely Hodgkinson (Trevor Painter, Leigh)
Jemma Reekie (Andy Young, Kilbarchan)
1500m:
Melissa Courtney-Bryant (Rob Denmark, Poole)
Laura Muir (Andy Young, Dundee Hawkhill)
Katie Snowden (Herne Hill)
5000m:
Jessica Judd (Mick Judd, Blackburn Harriers)
Amy-Eloise Markovc (Chris Fox, Wakefield)
Eilish McColgan (Liz Nuttall, Dundee Hawkhill)
10,000m:
Jessica Judd (Mick Judd, Blackburn Harriers)
Eilish McColgan (Liz Nuttall, Dundee Hawkhill)
3000m Steeplechase:
Lizzie Bird (Pat McCurry, Shaftesbury Barnet)
Aimee Pratt (Vicente Modahl, Sale Harriers Manchester)
100m Hurdles:
Cindy Sember (Jeff Porter, Woodford Green Essex Ladies)
400m Hurdles:
Jessie Knight (Marina Armstrong, Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow)
Lina Nielsen (Shaftesbury Barnet)
High Jump:
Emily Borthwick (Robbie Grabarz, Wigan and District)
Morgan Lake (Robbie Grabarz, Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow)
Laura Zialor (Jade Surman, Marshall Milton Keynes)
Pole Vault:
Holly Bradshaw (Scott Simpson, Blackburn Harriers)
Molly Caudery (Scott Simpson, Thames Valley)
Long Jump:
Jazmin Sawyers (Lance Brauman, City of Stoke)
Lorraine Ugen (Dwight Phillips, Thames Valley)
Triple Jump:
Naomi Metzger (Aston Moore, Trafford)
Shot Put:
Sophie McKinna (Paul Wilson, Great Yarmouth)
Amelia Strickler (Zane Duquemin, Thames Valley)
Discus:
Jade Lally (Zane Duquemin, Shaftesbury Barnet)
Heptathlon:
Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Aston Moore, Liverpool Harriers)
4x100m Relay:
Dina Asher-Smith (John Blackie, Blackheath & Bromley)
Beth Dobbin (Leon Baptiste, Edinburgh)
Imani-Lara Lansiquot (Stuart McMillan, Sutton & District)
Daryll Neita (Marco Airale, Cambridge Harriers)
Ashleigh Nelson (Leon Baptiste, City of Stoke)
Asha Philip (Amy Deem, Newham and Essex)
Bianca Williams (Enfield and Haringey)
4x400m Relay:
Zoey Clark (Ryan Oswald, Thames Valley)
Jessie Knight (Marina Armstrong, Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow)
Laviai Nielsen (Enfield & Haringey)
Lina Nielsen (Shaftesbury Barnet)
Victoria Ohuruogu (Christine Ohuruogu, Newham & Essex Beagles)
Ama Pipi (Marco Airale, Enfield and Haringey)
Nicole Yeargin (Boogie Johnson, Pitreavie)
Marathon:
Rose Harvey (Phillip, Kissi, Clapham Chasers)
Jess Piasecki (Robert Hawkins, Stockport)
Charlotte Purdue (Nic Bideau, Aldershot Farnham and District)
Men:
100m:
Zharnel Hughes (Glen Mills, Shaftesbury Barnet)
Reece Prescod (Marvin Rowe, Enfield and Haringey)
200m:
Joe Ferguson (Lewis Samuel, Leeds City)
Adam Gemili (Blackheath & Bromley)
Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (Ryan Freckleton, Newham and Essex Beagles)
400m:
Alex Haydock-Wilson (Benke Blomkvist, Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow)
Matthew Hudson-Smith (Gary Evans, Birchfield Harriers)
800m:
Max Burgin (Ian Burgin, Halifax Harriers)
Kyle Langford (Jon Bigg, Shaftesbury Barnet)
Daniel Rowden (Matt Yates, Woodford Green and Essex Ladies)
1500m:
Neil Gourley (Ben Thomas, Giffnock North)
Josh Kerr (Danny Mackey, Edinburgh)
Jake Wightman (Geoff Wightman, Edinburgh)
5000m:
Sam Atkin (Mike Collins, Lincoln Wellington)
Andrew Butchart (Gary Lough, Central)
Marc Scott (Jerry Schumacher, Richmond & Zetland)
10,000m:
Patrick Dever (Andy Bibby, Preston)
110m Hurdles:
David King (Tim O’Neil, City of Plymouth)
Andrew Pozzi (Stratford-upon-Avon)
Josh Zeller (Adrian Brown, Bracknell)
400m Hurdles:
Alastair Chalmers (Matt Elias, Guernsey)
Chris McAlister (Marina Armstrong, Thames Valley)
High Jump:
Joel Clarke-Khan (Robbie Grabarz, Worcester)
Pole Vault:
Harry Coppell (Scott Simpson, Wigan & District)
Triple Jump:
Ben Williams (Aston Moore, City of Stoke)
Shot Put:
Scott Lincoln (Paul Wilson, City of York)
Discus:
Lawrence Okoye (Zane Duquemin, Croydon)
Nicholas Percy (Zane Duquemin, Shaftesbury Barnet)
Hammer:
Nick Miller (Tore Gustafsson, Border)
4x100m Relay:
Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (Benke Blomkvist, Sutton & District)
Jeremiah Azu (Helen James, Cardiff)
Jona Efoloko (Clarence Callender, Sale Harrier Manchester)
Adam Gemili (Blackheath & Bromley)
Zharnel Hughes (Glen Mills, Shaftesbury Barnet)
Reece Prescod (Marvin Rowe, Enfield and Haringey)
Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (Ryan Freckleton, Newham and Essex Beagles)
Marathon:
Josh Griffiths (Swansea)
Chris Thompson (Alan Storey, Aldershot Farnham and District)
Mixed 4x400m Relay:
Athletes already selected for the women’s 4x400m relay team will be available for selection for this event.
Joe Brier (Matt Elias, Swansea)
Lewis Davey (Newham and Essex Beagles)
Alex Haydock-Wilson (Benke Blomkvist, Windsor Slough Eton and Hounslow)