by Stuart Weir
Katerina Johnson-Thompson, pentathlon, photo by PhotoRun.net
Jemma Reekrie, 1,500m, photo by Getty Images/British Athletics
Chris O’Hare, 3000m, photo by Getty Images/British Athletics
Stuart Weir is a long time writer for runblogrun. He wrote 150 stories in 2018, and we hope that we have not exhausted him for 2019. This past week, we sat next to each other, and even shared a meal on Valentines Day. His sense of humor keeps me smiling. His admiration and knowledge of the athletes is why his writing is so popular with our readers. This is 1/3 on the Muller Indoor GP Birmingham.
British Athletics have today named a record equalling number of 48 athletes for the European Indoor Championships on home soil in Glasgow from March 1-3.
The defending champions Laura Muir (1500m and 3000m), Asha Philip (60m) and Andrew Pozzi (60m) – subject to proving his fitness ahead of the championships – are included along with Holly Bradshaw (2013 European indoor champion in pole vault) and Katarina Johnson-Thompson (2015 heptathlon champion). Shelayna Oskan-Clarke (800m) who was second in Belgrade two years ago by the tiniest margin and another Belgrade medalist, Eilish McColgan are also on the team. Muir, McColgan, Eilidh Doyle and Chris O’Hare are among the nine Scots who will give the Scottish crowd something to cheer for. For the second successive major championships there are more women (26) than men (22) selected
British Athletics Performance Director Neil Black said: “We are delighted to have selected our biggest and strongest ever team for the European Indoor Championships in Glasgow, which is yet another major international championships for us on home soil. Competition for places has been fierce, the SPAR British Athletics Indoor Championships, where athletes are required to compete in order to earn selection, in particular were extremely competitive across several events and that high level of performances continued at the Müller Indoor Grand Prix Birmingham yesterday.
“With the IAAF World Championships, and Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, drawing ever closer, Glasgow is a great opportunity for our athletes to defend titles, win medals and show their quality on a major international stage. Once again, we have demonstrated that athletics is a truly equal sport by selecting more women than men with four of those 26 having won European indoor gold while there are a further four who have medalled previously at the event.
“It is fantastic to have our biggest ever contingent of Scottish athletes for a major championships in their backyard and we look forward to watching every single member of the team thrive in front of a home crowd. Glasgow is the last major championships before the IAAF World Championships in Doha later in the year and we expect to be extremely competitive.”
The full team, listed with club and coach, is:
MEN:
60m:
Ojie Edoburun (Shaftesbury Barnet; Steve Fudge)
400m
Cameron Chalmers (Guernsey; James Hillier)
Alex Haydock-Wilson (Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow; Michael Baker)
Owen Smith (Cardiff; Matt Elias)
800m
Guy Learmonth (Lasswade; Henry Gray)
Joe Reid (Cardiff; Matt Elias)
Jamie Webb (Liverpool; Adrian Webb)
1500m
Robbie Fitzgibbon (Brighton; Jon Bigg)
Elliot Giles (Birchfield Harriers; Jon Bigg)
Neil Gourley (Giffnock North; Mark Rowland)
3000m
Andrew Butchart (Central; Terrence Mahon)
Charlie Grice (Brighton; Jon Bigg)
Chris O’Hare (Edinburgh; Terrence Mahon)
60m Hurdles
David King (City of Plymouth; James Hillier)
Andrew Pozzi (Stratford-upon-Avon; Santiago Antunez)
High Jump
Chris Baker (Sale Harriers; Graham Ravenscroft)
Long Jump
Feron Sayers (Birchfield Harriers; Aston Moore)
Triple Jump
Nathan Douglas (Oxford City; Aston Moore)
Julian Reid (Sale Harriers; Aston Moore)
4x400m Relay
Joe Brier (Swansea; Matt Elias)
Cameron Chalmers (Guernsey; James Hillier)
Alex Haydock-Wilson (Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow; Michael Baker)
Owen Smith (Cardiff; Matt Elias)
Thomas Somers (Newham & Essex Beagles; Benke Blomkvist)
Heptathlon
Tim Duckworth (Liverpool; Toby Stevenson)
WOMEN
60m
Kristal Awuah (Herne Hill; Matthew Thomas)
Rachel Miller (Thames Valley; Linford Christie)
Asha Philip (Newham & Essex Beagles; Steve Fudge)
400m
Amber Anning (Brighton & Hove; Lloyd Cowan)
Zoey Clark (Thames Valley; Eddie McKenna)
Eilidh Doyle (Pitreavie; Brian Doyle)
800m
Shelayna Oskan-Clarke (Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow; Jon Bigg)
Mari Smith (Birchfield Harriers; Bud Baldaro)
Adelle Tracey (Guildford & Godalming; Craig Winrow)
1500m
Sarah McDonald (Birchfield Harriers; David Harmer)
Laura Muir (Dundee Hawkhill; Andy Young)
Jemma Reekie (Kilbarchan; Andy Young)
3000m
Melissa Courtney (Poole; Rob Denmark)
Eilish McColgan (Dundee Hawkhill; Liz Nuttall)
Laura Muir (Dundee Hawkhill; Andy Young)
High Jump
Morgan Lake (Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow; Fuzz Caan)
Pole Vault
Holly Bradshaw (Blackburn; Scott Simpson)
Long Jump
Abigail Irozuru (Sale Harriers; Tom Cullen)
Jazmin Sawyers (City of Stoke; Lance Brauman)
Jahisha Thomas (Blackheath & Bromley; John Shepherd)
Triple Jump
Naomi Ogbeta (Trafford; Tom Cullen)
Shot Put
Sophie McKinna (Great Yarmouth; Mike Winch)
Amelia Strickler (Thames Valley; Zane Duquemin)
4x400m Relay
Amber Anning (Brighton & Hove; Lloyd Cowan)
Zoe Clark (Thames Valley; Eddie McKenna)
Eilidh Doyle (Pitreavie; Brian Doyle)
Phillipa Lowe (Dacorum & Tring; Deborah Keenleyside)
Laviai Nielsen (Enfield & Haringey; Christine Bowmaker)
Heptathlon
Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Liverpool; Bertrand Valcin)
The @runblogrun tour of the IAAF World Indoor Tour, aka Le Tour de Larry, is sponsored by USATF and Nike, reminding you that the 2019 Toyota USATF Indoor Championships are February 22, 23, and 24 at the Ocean Breeze AC, on Staten Island. To purchase tickets, please use this link:
http://www.usatf.org/Events—
Support the brands that support your favorite athletics media!
