As we method the 2023 World Cross Nation Championships [February 18], the headlines thus far have centred across the British athletes not making the 20,000 mile round-trip as a substitute of those that are literally going.
The most important instance of that’s Innes FitzGerald, Britain’s main junior feminine endurance athlete, who wrote to UKA explaining that “the truth of the journey stuffed her with deep concern”.
The 16-year-old from Devon positioned fourth within the under-20 ladies’s race finally yr’s European Cross Nation Championships.
On her Euro Cross journey to Turin, she took an in a single day coach to Lille earlier than catching a practice to Turin by way of Paris.
The lengthy journey to Australia added to the truth that this yr’s version takes place in February – in the course of the indoor season – and never the same old slot of March, implies that athletes who had been contemplating have determined to not e book their ticket on the aircraft.
Nonetheless, Britain can have illustration throughout all races on the championships.
Megan Keith, European under-23 silver medallist, makes the step up in age group as she is chosen for the senior group.
The Scottish athlete gained on the British Athletics Cross Problem occasion in Perth on January 14 and began 2023 the place she left off final yr.
She can be joined by Abbie Donnelly, who completed inside the highest 12 within the senior race on the European Cross Nation Championships in December, whereas Amelia Quirk and Poppy Tank full the senior ladies’s quartet.
With a number of eligible athletes not obtainable for choice, Zak Mahamed is the only consultant within the senior males’s group. The Southampton-based athlete completed second behind Charles Hicks within the under-23 males’s race on the final yr’s Euro Cross, and can earn his first senior cap.
Nice Britain, for the primary time, may also ship a group within the combined relay.
Olympic 800m finalist Alex Bell headlines the foursome and brings a wealth of expertise to the group. The Pudsey and Bramley athlete anchored the British group to gold on the 2021 European Cross Nation Championships in Dublin.
Becoming a member of her is Alexandra Millard, who gained a person bronze medal within the under-23 race on the latest European Cross in Turin. Callum Elson and Joe Wigfield are additionally on the aircraft.
Lastly, within the under-20 races, eight athletes have been chosen to tackle the perfect on the planet within the age group.
Sam Mills and Luke Birdseye, fourth and fifth within the under-20 race in final December’s Euro Cross respectively, Edward Chook and Jacob Deacon are a part of a powerful line-up for the age group.
Rebecca Flaherty, who claimed silver for Nice Britain finally yr’s World Mountain Working Championships is joined by Megan Harris, Hannah Ryding and and Zoe Gilbody within the ladies’s group.
“We’re happy to be taking this group to the World Athletics Cross Nation Championships later this month,” Steve Vernon, World Class Programme Endurance Efficiency Supervisor at UK Athletics stated. “The occasion is a prestigious one within the athletics calendar, so we’re delighted to have sturdy illustration in each self-discipline in Australia.
“The World Cross Nation Championships is a stepping-stone in the direction of success at future international observe and area championships, and that’s consistent with the overarching Endurance technique for UK Athletics. This may also be a improbable improvement alternative for a lot of athletes, and vital as we construct in the direction of future main Cross Nation Championships, together with the Worlds in Croatia subsequent yr.
“Bathurst will present nice expertise to all these chosen, and we stay up for seeing how they carry out on the worldwide stage.”
Full group:
Senior ladies: Abbie Donnelly, Megan Keith, Amelia Quirk, Poppy Tank
Senior males: Zakariya Mahamed
Senior combined relay: Alex Bell, Callum Elson, Alexandra Millard, Joe Wigfield
U20 ladies: Rebecca Flaherty, Zoe Gilbody, Megan Harris, Hannah Ryding
U20 males: Edward Chook, Luke Birdseye, Jacob Deacon, Sam Mills
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