A team packed with talent has been selected to represent Great Britain and Northern Ireland at next month’s (18-21 July) European Athletics U18 Championships in Banska Bystrica, Slovakia.
Phoebe Gill (coach: Deborah Steer, club: St Albans), who tops the 2024 European U18 lists with her stunning time of 1:57.86 in Belfast in May, is selected to compete in the women’s 800m and medley relay at the Championships. The performance moved Gill to eighth on the UK all-time list. She will be joined by Shaikira King (John Skevington, Wreake & Soar Valley) who is second in European standings after her 2:02.60 clocking earlier this season.
Another athlete who currently goes into the event as the European leader is Jake Odey-Jordan in the men’s 200m. The US-based athlete clocked 20.55 in Philadelphia earlier in June.
Iwan Thomas (Neil Thomas, Carmarthen) also leads the European 2024 rankings in the 2000m steeplechase after his 5:49.17 clocking earlier this year. He is joined by Dillon Millard (Dave Lee) in the event with the Taunton athlete third in the European list so far this year.
Lyla Belshaw (David Smith, Colchester Harriers) [women’s 1500m], Olivia Forrest (Paul Forrest, Brentwood Beagles) [women’s 3000m], Matthew McKenna (Martin Norman, Walton) [men’s 800m] and Daisy Snell (Guy Spencer, Blackheath & Bromley) [women’s long jump] are all second in the 2024 European U18 lists, adding further firepower to the squad heading to Slovakia.
Darren Ritchie, Team Leader, said, “Congratulations to the athletes and their support networks on earning selection for the Championships. This competition is an important step in this early part of the pathway, so this will be a great learning experience for all the athletes selected. I wish them all the best in their preparations, and I look forward to seeing them perform on the track and in the field next month.”
The Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for the European U18 Championships:
Women
100m
Nell Desir (Lisa Waddon, Cardiff Archers)
400m
Kara Dacosta (Stephen Ball, Trafford)
800m
Phoebe Gill (Deborah Steer, St Albans)
Shaikira King (John Skevington, Wreake & Soar Valley)
1500m
Lyla Belshaw (David Smith, Colchester Harriers)
Isla McGowan (Ros Kelling, Banbury)
3000m
Olivia Forrest (Paul Forrest, Brentwood Beagles)
Katie Pye (Mick Woods, Aldershot Farnham and District)
2000m Steeplechase
Ava James (David Leach, Lewes)
Rae Le Fay (Peter Baker, Hastings AC)
Pole Vault
Isabella Turner (Dacorum)
Long Jump
Daisy Snell (Guy Spencer, Blackheath & Bromley)
Ella Woods (Paul Harrison, Birchfield Harriers)
Heptathlon
Thea Brown (Joanne Harding, Sale Harriers Manchester)
Ava John (Yasmine Regis, Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow)
Medley Relay
Elsie Brindle (Winchester)
Thea Brown (Joanne Harding, Sale Harriers Manchester)
Kara Dacosta (Stephen Ball, Trafford)
Nell Desir (Lisa Waddon, Cardiff Archers)
Phoebe Gill (Deborah Steer, St Albans)
Shiloh Omotosho (Sarah Robinson, Basildon)
Men
100m
Joel Ajayi (Gary Howard, Havering)
Joel Masters (Joel Humphries-Cuff, BFT Track Academy)
200m
Jake Odey-Jordan (Victor Blackett)
Aron Tugwell (Lisa Waddon, Cardiff Archers)
800m
Matthew McKenna (Martin Norman, Walton)
Tom Waterworth (Derek Darnell, Huntingtonshire)
1500m
Evan Grime (Ian Grime, Salford Harriers)
Alex Lennon (Nick Hancock, Sutton & District)
3000m
Liam Conway (Richard Park, Cambridge & Coleridge)
Oliver MacDonald (Giffnock North)
2000m Steeplechase
Iwan Thomas (Neil Thomas, Carmarthen)
Dillon Millard (Dave Lee, Taunton)
110m Hurdles
Toby Wright (Steve Shaw, Taunton)
High Jump
Regan Corrin (Emma Lowry, Manx)
Discus Throw
Owen Garrett (Paul Filer, Yate)
Hammer Throw
Louis Tutcher (Matt Spicer, Yate)
Javelin
Lewie Jones (Richard Jones, Swansea)
Medley Relay
Joel Ajayi (Gary Howard, Havering)
Harry Bradley (Darryn McAtee, Newport Harriers)
Joel Masters (Joel Humphries-Cuff, BFT Track Academy)
Jake Odey-Jordan (Victor Blackett)
Toby Wright (Steve Shaw, Taunton)
Team Staff
Team Leader – Darren Ritchie
Team Coaches – Kyle Bennett, Thomas Dobbing, Scott Grace, Alison Grey, Allan Hamilton, John Herbert, Sharon Morris and Laura Weightman
Team Medical – Lucy Eggleton-Wood, Dr Daniel Fitzpatrick, Ciaran Keen
Team Management – Ethan Walker
