European Athletics – (EAA) – News – Great Britain sends 67 athletes to Daegu

UK Athletics announced on Tuesday that a 67-strong squad will go to the 2011 IAAF World Championships, which will be staged in the South Korean city of Daegu from 27 August to 4 September.

In the squad are both of Great Britain’s 2009 world champions, triple jumper Phillips Idowu and heptathlete Jessica Ennis.

Both are strongly tipped to be in contention for gold medals again.

Other big British medal hopes include Mo Farah, who has been named for both the 5000m and 10000m, distances at which he was victorious at the 2010 European Athletics Championships last summer, and his fellow Barcelona winner 400m hurdler Dai Greene.

On the women’s side, middle distance runners Jennifer Meadows and Lisa Dobriskey, the 800m bronze medallist and 1500m silver medallist respectively from the World Championships Berlin two years ago, will be looking to add to further honours over the same distances.

There are also several exciting new faces in the British team who will be watched closely, and who will also be making their senior international debut, including the 2011 European Athletics Under 23 Championships 400m hurdles gold medallist Jack Green.

Sprinter Marlon Devonish will make a record eighth appearance for the Aviva Great Britain and Northern Ireland team at an IAAF World Championships.

Hurdlers Perri Shakes-Drayton and Tiffany Porter as well as pole vaulter Holly Bleasdale are all ranked in the world top 10 this season.

“This team has been selected to give us the best possible results at the 2011 IAAF World Championships in Daegu. I am looking to see an improvement from two years ago in Berlin, where we recorded six medals and 20 top eight finishes,” commented Great Britain’s head coach Charles van Commenee.

“It is important to remember there is work to do before London 2012 and Daegu is another stop on the journey to make our athletes run faster, jump higher and throw further. The aim in Daegu is to get more athletes within touching distance of the podium and these World Championships are ideal preparation for what the athletes will encounter next summer and beyond.”

The team will be captained by the 2010 European Athletics Championships 200m silver medallist Christian Malcolm, who made his first appearance in a British vest 15 years ago.

“It is a proud moment in any sport to captain your country. I’ve experienced a lot since the age of 17 and have years of top level sport behind me and you wake up and realise that you might have a lot to offer. I hope I can be there for the team to say the right thing at the right time whether they’ve been disappointed or fulfilled their dream. After all, I’ve had experience of both,” commented Malcolm.

The complete Great Britain and NI team is:

Triple jump star Phillips Idowu will go in as one of the favourites for the gold medal in Daegu.

Men – 100m: Harry Aikines Aryeetey, Dwain Chambers, Marlon Devonish; 200m: James Ellington (John Powell), Christian Malcolm; 400m: Martyn Rooney; 800m: Andrew Osagie, Michael Rimmer; 1500m: James Shane; 5000m: Mo Farah; 10000m: Mo Farah; marathon: Andrew Lemoncello, Lee Merrien, Dave Webb; 110m hurdles: Lawrence Clarke, William Sharman, Andy Turner; 400m hurdles: Jack Green, Dai Greene, Nathan Woodward; high jump: Martyn Bernard, Tom Parsons; pole vault: Steve Lewis; long jump: Greg Rutherford, Chris Tomlinson; triple jump: Phillips Idowu; discus: Abdul Buhari, Brett Morse, Carl Myerscough; 4x100m: Harry Aikines Aryeetey, Marlon Devonish, James Ellington, Mark Lewis-Francis, Christian Malcolm, Craig Pickering, Danny Talbot; 4x400m: Richard Buck, Chris Clarke, Jack Green, Dai Greene, Luke Lennon Ford, Nigel Levine, Martyn Rooney, Richard Strachan.

Women – 100m: Jeanette Kwakye, Anyika Onuora, Laura Turner; 200m: Anyika Onuora; 400m: Lee McConnell, Christine Ohuruogu, Nicola Sanders; 800m: Emma Jackson, Jenny Meadows, Marilyn Okoro; 1500m: Lisa Dobriskey, Hannah England; 5000m: Helen Clitheroe; marathon: Alyson Dixon, Susan Partridge; 3000m steeplechase: Barbara Parker; 100m hurdles: Tiffany Porter; 400m hurdles: Eilidh Child, Perri Shakes-Drayton; pole vault: Holly Bleasdale, Kate Dennison; long jump: Shara Proctor; triple jump: Yamile Aldama; javelin: Goldie Sayers; hammer: Sophie Hitchon; heptathlon: Jessica Ennis, Louise Hazel; 20km walk: Jo Jackson; 4x100m: Montell Douglas, Jeanette Kwakye, Anyika Onuora, Abi Oyepitan, Asha Philip, Tiffany Porter, Laura Turner; 4x400m: Eilidh Child, Lee McConnell, Jenny Meadows, Christine Ohuruogu, Marilyn Okoro, Nadine Okyere, Nicola Sanders, Perri Shakes-Drayton.