The first athletes to cross the line on Sunday won’t be from the world class elite field but will instead be one of the young athletes aged between 11 and 17 who will be taking part in the Virgin Money Giving Mini London Marathon – the official British Athletics three-mile road championships for young athletes.

Competitors run the final three miles of the Virgin Money London Marathon course and enjoy the same grandstand finish used later in the day for the elite fields and masses.

Featuring entrants from the nine regions of England, squads from Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales, as well as teams from all 33 London Boroughs, the event is a good place to talent spot the athletics stars of the future. Previous winners have included Mo Farah, David Weir and Jessica Judd.

This year’s race includes several youngsters with GB experience including Sabrina Sinha (Greenwich) who was part of the silver medal winning GB team from Euro Cross and is a former champion in London. She’s won the London Boroughs Challenge 5 years in a row and starts as one of the favourites in the U17 girls race.

She will be challenged by Erin Wallace ( Scotland) the Scottish Inter-District champion who has had a record breaking season indoors, setting new Scottish and British bests.

The one to watch could be Katy Ann McDonald (Wandsworth) who is a two time winner here and competes as an U17 for the first time. She holds the course record for the U15s.

That age group race will be fiercely contested by Inter Counties cross country champion, Kathleen Faes ( South-east) and Oliva Mason ( North West). Last year’s U13 winner Ella McNiven ( North West) pulled off a surprising win in 2015 and could do the same in this older age group.

National Cross Country winner, Nicole Ainsworth (South East) will be one to watch in the U13 race as will Femke Rosenbergen ( East) who was one of the top ranked 1500m runners last year.

In the boys race the pre-race favourite in the oldest age group is GB U20 cross country international, Ben Dijkstra (East Midlands). Dijkstra is a double Youth Olympic triathlon gold medalist and took thirty-three seconds off the existing course record with his win in 2015. If conditions are good he plans to reduce his 14:00 mark even further.

The 2015 champion could face competition from Commonwealth Youth Games bronze medalist, Ben Greenwood ( Scotland) and English Schools 1500m champion, Benjamin Davies ( East).

In the U15 boys race, there will be a fascinating battle between Zak Mahamed(South East) and Josh Cowperthwaite ( North East). The two young athletes have been rivals across the cross-country season with Mahamed taking the Inter-Counties title for the 3rd year in a row, while Cowperthwaite overtook his rival to win the English National at Donington Park in February.

Hamish Armitt (Scotland) topped the 1500m rankings last year and should not be written off. He’s joined on the start line by the Ulster, Welsh and Scottish cross country champions.

In the U13 boys race, Tommy Dawson ( Yorkshire and Humberside) returns to defend his title. Dawson set a new course record in 2015 and following a strong cross country season he should be filled with confidence when he lines up in London.

Both David Weir and Shelly Woods won the mini marathon before becoming marathon champions so there will be much expected of the winners in the mini wheelchair event.

Double European medalist Isaac Towers will start as favourite in the boys race where he holds the course record and in the girls competition, all eyes will be on Kare Adenegan who returned from last year’s IPC World Championships with two bronze medals in the T34 400m and 800m.

The runners to watch in 2016

U13 Boys

2015 winner: Tommy Dawson, Yorkshire and Humberside
Course Record: Tommy Dawson, Yorkshire and Humberside, 15:42 (2015)

389 Harley Norman Croyden
Intercounties champion, south of England cross country champ, 3rd at National XC. Ranked 2nd at 800m last year.

3365 Tommy Dawson, Yorkshire and Humberside
2015 champion and CR holder. Nat cross country champion and silver medalist at Inter counties. Overal winner of cross challenge. Led gun to tape at National.

3221 Angus Williams, South East
3rd at Intercounties. Running for Children in Nepal.

250 Rowan Fuss, Bromley
Blackheath and Bromley athlete who was 3rd at Nat XC. Could be favourite to win London boroughs title. Was ranked no 1 at 1500m last year.

U15 Boys

2015 Winner: Mathew Merric, Yorkshire and Humberside
Course Record: Euan Gilham, Scotland, 14:54 (2012)

3116 Alfie Bould, North West
Runner up at U13 last year. 3rd at English Schools XC

3155 Connor Doherty, Northern Ireland
Ulster cross country champ.

3190 Hamish Armitt, Scotland
Top ranked at 1500 in UK in 2015. 3rd at Scottish national cross country

3192 Lewis Pentecost, Scotland
National cross country champion

3228 Zak Mahamed, South East
Inter counties champ for 3rd year in a row.Southern cross country champ, English Schools champion. 2nd at national after battle with Cowperthwaite.

3082 Josh Cowperthwaite, North-east
National XC champion. Made his move with 1k to go overtaking Zak. 3rd at Inter counties. Northern XC champion.

3227 Lachlan Wellington, South east
In the medals at national cross country, Inter Counties and Southern Cross. Should run well here today. Focusing on 3000m on track.

3299 James Penrose, Wales
Welsh cross country champion.

U17 Boys

2015 winner: Ben Dijkstra East Midlands
Course Record: Ben Dijkstra, East Midlands 14:00 (2015)

3049 Ben Dijkstra, East Midlands
GB European cross country U20 team. Double Youth Olympic triathlon gold medalist. Took 22 seconds off course record last year and is looking to break it again this year. Equaled Mo Farah’s course record at national young athelete relays a few years ago. Been racing since he was four! Broke the national mile record aged 10. If conditions are good will be aiming to break his own course record today! Was 38th the first time he competed here as an U13!

3054 Issac Akers, East Midlands
Corby athlete who is National cross country champion and Intercounties champion.

3194 Ben Greenwood, Scotland
Scottish I/D Champion, 5th at I/Ds. Bronze medalist at Commonwealth Youth Games at 800m.

3197 Sol Sweeny, Scotland
3rd at Inter-counties. UK Cross Challenge winner. Silver at Scottish Nationals.

3162 James Edgar, Northern Ireland
Wimner of the Ulster Schools cross country title 2016 and 3rd in the Irish schools X country 2016

3015 Benjamin Davies, East
English Schools 1500m Champion Westminster Mile Champion Essex XC Champion 2016


3125 Matt Willis, North-West
Schools Xc champion. Triathlete who has won national titles.

U13 Girls

2015 Winner: Ella McNiven, North-West
Course Record: Almi Nerurkar, South East, 17:05 (2014)

3023 Femke Rosbergen, East
UK Cross Challenge 2016 winner in Antrim and Cardiff. Norfolk XC Champion 2016 National Road Relay U13 course record holder. Ranked no 2 at 1500m last year.

3240 Nicole Ainsworth, South East
National XC winner in her first National. Southern XC champ. South of England Xc champion. 3rd at Inter-counties. “Loves swimming, triathlons and loves Cadbury chocolate !!
”

3383 Eve Jones, Yorkshire and Humberside
Northern cross country champ.

3382 Jodie Hill, Yorkshire and Humberside
Runner up at Inter Districts. 4th at National XC.

1132 Rosie Hammond, Southwark
Rosie is the fastest Southwark girl. Won the Southwark Mini Marathon trials. Rosie is a top twenty runner nationally and in the top 3 in London. Rosie trains with Herne Hill Harriers

1276 Lulu King, Wandsworth
This is Lulu's 2nd London Mini Marathon for Wandsworth. At 12 Lulu has a collection of national gold medals for cross country and finished 2015 ranked no1 in UK for 800m. Lulu also runs for London Schools, Surrey County and Herne Hill Harriers. Could be boroughs winner?

U15 Girls

2015 Winner: Katy Ann McDonald, Wandsworth
Joint Course Record: Katy Ann McDonald, Wandsworth, 16:28 ( 2015)
Annabel Mason, Yorkshire and Humberside, 16:28 (2012)

3136 Ella McNiven, North West
Last year’s winner at U13 in one of the big surprises of the day beating pre race favourite Oliva Mason by 5 seconds. 3rd at English Schools XC

3138 Olivia Mason, North West
Winner of Schools International XC last month. Northern XC champion and bronze at nationals. Top ranked U15 at Parkrun last year. Former nat and I/C champ and was 2nd here last year as U13.

3171 Olivia Nelson, Northern Ireland
Ulster Schools cross country champion.

3210 Eloise Walker, Scotland
National cross country champion. Scottish Schools 1500m champion.

3246 Kathleen Faes, South East
Inter-counties champion. Ranked no 2 at 1500m last year.

3033 Jodie Judd, East
Silver medal at English Nationals 1500m in 2015. Essex cross country champion and younger sister of Jess Judd, GB international and multiple winner here.

U17 Girls

2015 Winner: Harriet Knowles Jones, North-West
Course Record: Jessica Judd, East, 15:38 (2011)

532 Sabrina Sinha, Greenwich
GB International. Team gold at Edinburgh international cross country and team silver at Euro Cross. Has won the borough’s challenge 5 years in a row and was overall champion in 2015. English schools cross country champion. Silver medalist at National and Inter counties this year. Finalist at world youth games in 2015.

1288 Katy Ann McDonald, Wandsworth
Katy-Ann has won the London Mini Marathon twice, at both U13's and U15's. This is her first year at U17's, so watch this space. She holds the 12 year old GB and European Record for 800m. Is the CR holder for U15s! Her mum ran for Nigeria.

3320 Cari Hughes, Wales
Inter-counties and Welsh national champion. Overal cross challenge winner.

3252 Niamh Brown, South East
National cross country champion. GB International representing Team GB at Great Edinburgh cross country in January.

3211 Erin Wallace, Scotland
Set Scottish and British best on the indoors. Scottish 3000m champion. Scottish inter district champion. 4th here last year.

3216 Anna MacFadyen
Scottish National XC champ

Wheelchair U14 Boys and Girls

2015 winners:
Graeme Spencer, 16:16
Kare Adenegan, 12:41 (new course record)

Wheelchair U17 Boys and Girls

2015 winners
Nathan McGuire, 11:35 (new course record)
Shelby Watson, 15:55

28 Jack Agnew U17
2014 London Mini Marathon Winner U14.,2015 England Athletics U16 1500m Champion ,2015 Brazilian National Junior Paralympic Championship Winner, Gold medals in the 100m, 400m & 1500m.

41 Issac Towers U17
Previous Minimarathon U14 winner & course record holder. European T34 800m silver and 400m bronze medalist. On British Athletics world class performance programme. Paralympic games hopeful. Studying business at Cardinal Newman College Preston.

18 Kare Adenegan U17
London Virgin Marathon Winner 2014 & 2015. GB Elite Wheelchair Racer. IPC World Championship 2015 – two bronze medals 400 and 800. Silver Medalist – London Anniversary Games 2015. Enjoys reading, cooking, listening to music and racing of course!

35 Michael McCabe U17
This is Michael's last Mini London Marathon so he is hoping to do well. Michael is on the British Athletic development squad and trains 5 to 6 times a week he won a bronze meadal in the 2015 world juniors last year.

40 Graeme Spencer U17
This is Graeme's 4th mini marathon. He has been 2nd twice and first in 2015. He is trained by Jenny Archer and his mentor is David Weir.

Source: Virgin Money London Marathon