Here are some of the leading names to keep an eye out for at this weekend’s national championships and world trials at Sportcity in Manchester
With the World Championships in Budapest six weeks away, British athletes will be aiming to earn selection and win national medals in Manchester on July 8-9.
The event is set to be shown on BBC’s multi-media platforms. Keep an eye out, too, for AW’s coverage on social media and our website.
Below are some of the leading lights to look out for, with the all-important selection guidelines here.
Keely Hodgkinson
After improving her British record to 1:55.77 in Paris, the 21-year-old arrives in her home city of Manchester after losing recently to Mary Moraa in Lausanne. The Olympic and world 800m silver medallist should have no problem qualifying for the two-lap event for Eugene, though, and after this she heads to the European Under-23 Championships in Finland on July 13-16 where she tackles the 400m.
Zharnel Hughes
Fresh from breaking Linford Christie’s long-standing UK 100m record, Zharnel Hughes is entered for the 100m and 200m. Rivals include reigning champions Jeremiah Azu (100m) and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (200m), plus Reece Prescod, Eugene Amo-Dadzie, Adam Gemili, Jona Efoloko and the returning CJ Ujah.
Laura Muir
The British 1500m record-holder would ordinarily be strong favourite to claim the metric mile title. She has not been running badly this season either. But on Sunday in Stockholm she was pipped to the post by Melissa Courtney-Bryant, the in-form Welsh athlete who has also run a 4:00.45 PB in France recently. With Ellie Baker, Katie Snowden, Revee Walcott-Nolan and, returning from injury, Sarah McDonald, it could be a great final.
Daryll Neita
The 100m and 200m winner from 12 months ago, Neita may not run both events this time. But she is in great shape after winning her first-ever Diamond League race in Stockholm when clocking 22.50 in the 200m last weekend, whereas she has also dipped inside 11 seconds for 100m a couple of times already this summer.
Dina Asher-Smith
The British 100m and 200m record-holder was just eight hundredths of a second behind Neita over 200m in Stockholm last weekend, which means the duo could be set for a mouth-watering head-to-head in Manchester. The world 200m champion in 2019, Asher-Smith was fourth in the 100m and third in the 200m in Eugene last year and will be aiming to improve on this in Budapest.
Holly Bradshaw
When the Olympic bronze medallist cleared 4.51m in Lausanne last week it was her first competition since the British Championships last year. A 10-time national outdoor champion, her British record of 4.90m was set at these championships and she will be looking for another win as she continues her comeback from injury.
Jazmin Sawyers
Four months have passed since Jazmin Sawyers leapt to European indoor gold in Istanbul with 7.00m. She will be aiming to make the podium at the World Champs in Budapest, too, and winning the national title here will be a good stepping stone en route.
Morgan Lake
After equalling her UK record of 1.99m indoors in February, she matched her outdoor PB of 1.97m in Turku last month and goes into this weekend aiming for her sixth outdoor senior crown.
Kenny Ikeji
The US-based athlete won the NCAA title last month with 77.92m – a throw that puts him No.3 on the UK all-time rankings. Now back in Britain, he is hoping to put selection for Budapest beyond doubt by adding at least 8cm to his PB to hit the qualifying standard for the World Champs.
Eugene Amo-Dadzie
One of the British breakthrough stars of the summer, the ‘world’s fastest accountant’ sped to 9.93 for 100m when winning in Graz last month and is determined to put himself in the mix for World Champs qualification this weekend.
Championship records
Men
100m – James Dasalou – GBR – 9.91 – 13/07/2013
200m – Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake – GBR – 20.05 – 26/06/2022
400m – Iwan Thomas – GBR – 44.36 – 13/07/1997
800m – William Tanui – KEN – 1:43.90 – 03/08/1990
1500m – John Gladwin – GBR – 3:35.93 – 21/06/1986
5000m – Dave Bedford – GBR – 13:17.21 – 14/07/1992
110m hurdles – Colin Jackson – GBR – 13.13 – 15/06/1996
400m hurdles – Ed Moses – USA – 48.48 – 01/06/1979
3000m steeplechase – Philip Barkutwo – KEN – 8:22.22 – 04/08/1990
High jump – Steve Smith – GBR – 2.35m – 15/07/1995
Pole vault – Harry Coppell – GBR – 5.85m – 04/09/2020
Long jump – Larry Myricks – USA – 8.38m – 07/08/1981
Triple jump – Nathan Douglas – GBR – 17.64m – 10/07/2005
Shot put – Carl Myerscough – GBR – 21.55m – 27/07/2003
Discus – Juan Martinez – CUB – 65.72 – 13/07/1985
Hammer – Dave Smith – GBR – 77.30m – 13/07/1985
Javelin – Steve Backley – GBR – 88.14m – 28/06/1992
5000m RW – Callum Wilkinson – GBR – 18:41.23 – 23/08/2019
Decathlon – Tim Duckworth – GBR – 7447 – 26/06/2021
Women
100m – Dina Asher-Smith – GBR – 10.91 – 26/06/2021
200m – Beth Dobbin – GBR – 22.59 – 01/07/2018
400m – Katharine Merry – GBR – 50.62 – 25/07/1999
800m – Kelly Holmes – GBR – 1:57.56 – 16/07/1995
1500m – Kelly Holmes – GBR – 4:01.41 – 12/06/1994
5000m – Paula Radcliffe – GBR – 15:05.48 – 13/08/2000
100m hurdles – Tiffany Porter – GBR – 12.68 – 13/07/2013
400m hurdles – Perri Shakes-Drayton – GBR – 54.36 – 14/07/2013
3000m steeplechase – Aimee Pratt – GBR – 9:30.73 – 05/09/2020
High jump – Morgan Lake – GBR – 1.97m – 30/06/2018 and Isobel Pooley – GBR – 1.97m – 04/07/2015
Pole vault – Holly Bradshaw – GBR – 4.90m – 26/06/2021
Long jump – Lorraine Ugen – GBR – 7.05m – 01/07/2018
Triple jump – Yamile Aldama – GBR – 14.98m – 27/07/2003
Shot put – Judy Oakes – GBR – 18.76m – 06/08/1988
Discus – Meg Ritchie – GBR – 62.22m – 25/07/1981
Hammer – Sophie Hitchon – GBR – 72.02m – 01/07/2018
Javelin – Kelly Morgan – GBR – 64.87m – 14/07/2002
5000m RW – Bethan Davies – GBR – 21:21.52 – 02/07/2017
Heptathlon – Jodie Smith – GBR – 5929 – 26/06/2022
Timetable
Saturday July 8
11:30 100m Men Heats
11:40 Javelin Throw Women Final
12:35 100m Women Heats
13:20 Triple Jump Women Final
13:25 100m hurdles Women Heats
13:50 Shot Put Men Final
13:55 800m Men Heats
14:25 800m Women Heats
14:36 Hammer Throw Women Final
14:55 100m hurdles Women Final
15:00 Pole Vault Women Final
15:05 400m hurdles Men Heats
15:35 400m hurdles Women Heats
16:00 Long Jump Men Final
16:05 400m Men Heats
16:35 400m Women Heats
17:05 100m Men Semi-Final
17:24 High Jump Women Final
17:28 100m Women Semi-Final
17:47 Discus Throw Men Final
17:51 1500m Men Heats
18:15 1500m Women Heats
18:40 3000m steeplechase Women Final
19:00 5000m Men Final
19:22 100m Men Final
19:32 100m Women Final
Sunday July 9
11:15 Javelin Throw Men Final
11:45 5000m Walk Women Final
12:20 Triple Jump Men Final
12:25 5000m Walk Men Final
12:55 Shot Put Women Final
13:00 110m hurdles Men Heats
13:10 Hammer Throw Men Final
13:30 200m Women Heats
14:00 200m Men Heats
14:10 Pole Vault Men Final
14:30 5000m Women Final
14:50 High Jump Men Final
14:55 110m hurdles Men Final
15:05 400m hurdles Women Final
15:10 Long Jump Women Final
15:15 400m hurdles Men Final
15:20 Discus Throw Women Final
15:25 3000m steeplechase Men Final
15:40 200m Women Final
15:50 200m Men Final
16:00 400m Men Final
16:10 1500m Women Final
16:20 400m Women Final
16:30 800m Men Final
16:40 800m Women Final
16:50 1500m Men Final