Ten reigning European champions are among the 47 athletes selected to compete for Great Britain and Northern Ireland at the World Para Athletics European Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland between June 1-5.
Aled Davies, Sophie Hahn, Maria Lyle and Richard Whitehead are among those set to compete at the Zdzisław Krzyszkowiak Stadium. Six-time European champion Aled Davies will be seeking his fourth consecutive F63 shot-put title as the 2016 Paralympic gold medallist prepares for his title defence in Tokyo this summer.
Double world champion Maria Lyle will compete in the T35 100m and 200m in Poland. The 21-year-old has won six European titles during her career to date and will be seeking to add further silverware to her collection at the 2021 edition. Grand-slam champion in the T38 100m Sophie Hahn will defend her title in Bydgoszcz, while Thomas Young will look to match that achievement in the men’s equivalent.
Reigning individual European champions Dan Greaves [F64 discus], Harri Jenkins [T33 100m], Vanessa Wallace [F34 shot put] and Richard Whitehead [T61 200m] are selected, whilst 2018 universal 4x100m relay gold medallists Nathan Maguire and Zac Shaw have also been called up. Four-time European champion Georgie Hermitage returns to the British team having retired from the sport in early 2020.
However, following the birth of her second child last year, the Paralympic and world champion returned to training, running her first race since 2018 last weekend and has been selected for the T37 400m in Poland. Three British athletes will compete 100m RaceRunning events including world champion Kayleigh Haggo, who broke the RR2 400m world record at the weekend.
World silver medallist Ellie Simpson has also been selected for the women’s RR3 100m. In the men’s equivalent, Dubai 2019 world silver medallist Rafi Solaiman leads the entries.
Eight athletes on the British Athletics Paralympic Futures Academy and two Paralympic Development Academy athletes have been selected including T54 athletes Daniel Sidbury and Mel Woods.
The British Athletics Paralympic Performance Pathway aims to identify, develop, prepare and support potential Paralympians towards World Class level. These ten athletes on the 2021 cohort join a number of graduates of the programme on the team for Bydgoszcz, including European medallists Thomas Young and Ali Smith.
Paula Dunn MBE, the Para Athletics Head Coach said: “The World Para Athletics European Championships provide a great opportunity for our athletes to compete at a high level in a very important year.
“It is a fantastic competition opportunity for those athletes who are building up to Tokyo, as well as providing a platform for our Paralympic Futures Academy and Development Academy athletes who are on the pathway for Paris and Los Angeles. Due to challenging circumstances at this current time, and consistent with British Athletics’ approach this season, all athletes were given the option to opt-in or opt-out of the Championships.
“The Paralympic Games is ultimately the main focus this year, so while many athletes have targeted Bydgoszcz as a key event in their plan for the year, others have decided to focus on other competitions as part of their preparation for Tokyo. We are supporting all athletes and coaches to achieve what they feel is the best preparation possible for the Paralympic Games later this summer.”
The British team for the World Para Athletics European Championships, Bydgoszcz, Poland on 1-5 June:
Women: Fabienne André, Olivia Breen, Lydia Church, Libby Clegg [Guide runner – Chris Clarke] – T11 200m and 4x100m Universal Relay, Kayleigh Haggo (John Owens; Ayr Seaforth) – RR3 100m, Sophie Hahn – T38 100m and 4x100m Universal Relay, Georgie Hermitage – T37 400m, Sophie Kamlish – T64 100m and 4x100m Universal Relay, Maria Lyle – T35 100m and 200m, Polly Maton – T47 Long Jump and 100m, Anna Nicholson – F35 Shot Put, Ellie Simpson – RR3 100m, Ali Smith – T38 100m, 400m and 4x100m Universal Relay, Stef Reid – T64 Long Jump, Emily Stewart – F38 Discus, Hannah Taunton – T20 1500m, Vanessa Wallace – F34 Shot Put and Mel Woods – T54 100m, 400m, 800m and 1500m.
Men: Ola Abidogun – T47 100m and 4x100m Universal Relay, Jonathan Adams – F35 Shot Put, Columba Blango - T20 400m, John Bridge – T47 400m, Jonathan Broom-Edwards – T64 High Jump, Shaun Burrows – T38 400m, Richard Chiassaro – T54 400m and 800m, Barney Corrall – T38 Long Jump, Aled Davies - F63 Shot Put, Kyron Duke – F41 Shot Put
James Freeman – T33 100m, Dan Greaves – F64 Discus, Harri Jenkins – T33 100m, Rhys Jones - T37 100m and 200m, Nathan Maguire – T54 100m, 400m, 800m and 4x100m Universal Relay, Stephen Miller – F32 Club Throw, Luke Nuttall – T46 1500m, Javaughn Parkes – T36 100m, Ross Paterson – T38 100m and 400m, Dan Pembroke – F13, Javelin Zac Shaw – T12 100m and 4x100m Universal Relay, Daniel Sidbury – T54 400m, 800m, 1500m and 5000m, Luke Sinnott – T63 Long Jump, Zak Skinner - T13 Long Jump and 100m, Rafi Solaiman – RR3 100m, Alexander Thomson – T38 100m and 400m, Harrison Walsh – F64 Discus Throw, Richard Whitehead – T61 200m and Thomas Young – T38 100m and 4x100m Universal Relay.
