Novuna UK Athletics Championships: stars assemble in Birmingham

Keely Hodgkinson, Amber Anning, Georgia Hunter Bell, Max Burgin, Jake Wightman, Amy Hunt and Zharnel Hughes are simply among the many contenders at this weekend’s huge occasion.

Britain’s main athletes head to Alexander Stadium this weekend (June 20-21) for the Novuna UK Athletics Championships, with nationwide titles, championship data and potential European choice locations all on the road.

Olympic, world and European medallists are unfold throughout a packed programme that guarantees among the strongest home competitors of the season.

Sprints and hurdles

The boys’s 100m appears to be like set to be one of many highlights of the weekend. Defending champion and British record-holder Zharnel Hughes returns to face reigning world champion Jeremiah Azu and European silver medallist Romell Glave. Jody Smith, who made his senior GB & NI debut on the World Indoor Championships earlier this yr, is one other contender, whereas decathlete Sammy Ball provides intrigue after coming into each the 100m and lengthy leap.

The ladies’s 200m additionally boasts distinctive depth. Defending champion Dina Asher-Smith returns alongside the in-form Amy Hunt and Daryll Neita, who joined her on the rostrum 12 months in the past. Imani-Lara Lansiquot continues her return from harm, whereas Hannah Brier arrives in Birmingham after breaking the Welsh report.

Among the many rising names to look at are Success Eduan, Nia Wedderburn-Goodison and Renee Regis, who produced a championship report efficiency on the UK Indoor Championships earlier this yr.

Over one lap, Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson is entered for the ladies’s 400m, the place she faces world champion Amber Anning, Olympic relay medallists Laviai Nielsen and Nicole Yeargin, European under-20 champion Charlotte Henrich, Louisa Stoney and Yemi Mary John.

The boys’s equal is equally robust. Defending champion Charlie Dobson faces European record-holder Matt Hudson-Smith, who returns to compete at his dwelling stadium, together with Alex Haydock-Wilson, one other key member of Britain’s relay squad.

Within the hurdles, Josh Zeller makes a welcome return to championship motion within the males’s 110m hurdles after an injury-disrupted interval.

The para-athletics programme additionally options a number of notable names. World and Paralympic champion Jonnie Peacock returns for the boys’s ambulant 100m, the place he’ll line up alongside Zac Shaw and Thomas Younger. Within the girls’s 400m wheelchair race, world bronze medallist Melanie Woods takes on world silver medallist Kare Adenegan.

Endurance

The center-distance occasions function a few of Britain’s most in-form athletes.

Max Burgin arrives as favorite for the boys’s 800m after his latest Diamond League victory in Rabat. The defending champion will face robust opposition from Ben Pattison and 2022 world 1500m champion Jake Wightman.

Within the girls’s 800m, Georgia Hunter Bell will look to construct on her latest Diamond League victory in Rome as she seeks one other nationwide title. Indoor champion Issy Boffey and world indoor silver medallist Jemma Reekie are amongst these hoping to problem.

The ladies’s 3000m steeplechase may present one of many performances of the weekend. Elise Thorner has loved a breakthrough season, decreasing her greatest to 9:07.39 and shifting to second on the UK all-time listing. After setting a championship report when she gained final yr, consideration might now flip in direction of Lizzie Fowl’s British report.

The boys’s 5000m sees British 10,000m champion Joe Wigfield try to finish a nationwide distance double, whereas British record-holder Andy Butchart provides additional high quality to the sector.

The ladies’s 5000m consists of one of the aggressive endurance line-ups of the championships, that includes European under-20 champion Innes FitzGerald, world finalist Hannah Nuttall and the in-form Megan Keith.

Jumps

A number of established champions will likely be aiming to increase their dominance within the subject occasions. Morgan Lake, for instance, is focusing on an eleventh UK crown within the excessive leap.

The boys’s excessive leap guarantees to be significantly aggressive. Kimani Jack arrives in Birmingham contemporary from claiming the NCAA title in the USA, whereas defending champion Joel Clarke-Khan has just lately returned from harm and will likely be wanting to regain momentum.

Ball’s look within the lengthy leap provides one other fascinating subplot, with the proficient decathlete doubling up throughout disciplines.

Throws

Few athletes have dominated a UK occasion fairly like Scott Lincoln, who’s aiming for a exceptional twelfth nationwide shot put title.

Within the girls’s competitors, Adele Nicholl returns to athletics after competing in bobsleigh on the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics and can defend the title she gained final yr. Nevertheless, indoor champion Serena Vincent enters the championships in robust type after just lately attaining the Commonwealth Video games qualifying normal.

Be careful for males’s discus competitors, too, with UK record-holder Lawrence Okoye and Nick Percy amongst others.

With established champions, rising expertise and main championship locations at stake, Alexander Stadium is about to offer a becoming stage for Britain’s greatest athletes this weekend.

The Novuna UK Athletics Championships happen on June 20-21 at Alexander Stadium, Birmingham, with protection out there on BBC iPlayer and web site.