World 4x100m relay gold medallist Danny Talbot is expected to line up on a British track for the first time in three years at this Sunday’s Birchfield Harriers Club Challenge meeting.
Talbot celebrated victory on home soil at London 2017 but has since struggled with injury problems which included having multiple operations on his ankle.
This weekend’s race in Nuneaton will be just his second 200m race in three seasons. The 29-year-old is one of a number of international medallists on the entry lists that also include Meghan Beesley, Niamh Emerson, Nathan Douglas and Kare Adenegan.
The event is being streamed live from The Pingles Stadium on Vinco and you can watch it here from 1030 BST, with the action available on RunnerSpace for viewers in North America.
European 400m hurdles medallist Beesley is entered for two events. Firstly the sprint hurdles where she is likely to be joined by Scottish record holder Heather Paton and European junior medallist Lucy-Jane Matthews, then the 100m flat which is also set to include Maltese international Charlotte Wingfield, European junior relay champion Georgina Adam and Winter Olympic bobsleigher Mica Moore.
Welsh teenager Jeremiah Azu ahead of winning England under-20 gold in Bedford last summer. Photo: Melissa Gresswell/@Lissgphotography
Meanwhile, 10.10s sprinter Andy Robertson goes up against England under-20 champion Jeremiah Azu and James Williams who has been a revelation over 400m in 2020.
European indoor runner-up Emerson could be set for a busy afternoon, having signed up for the shot put, javelin and 200m. Fellow heptathlete Holly Mills joins her in the latter two and is also down for the 400m.
Lee Thompson, Alex Haydock-Wilson, Joe Brier and Sadam Koumi could all be closely matched in the men’s 400m, while the one-lap hurdles looks to have a good battle in store with world semi-finalist Chris McAlister up against England silver medallist Efe Okoro, European junior second-placer Seamus Derbyshire and Jack Lawrie, who has won the last five Scottish titles. On the women’s side, multiple England champion Hayley McLean faces Welsh junior record holder Lauren Williams, Commonwealth heptathlete Jessie Tappin and British Universities’ medallist Anna Nelson.
In the field, European silver medallist Nathan Douglas is included in the triple jump start lists, while British champions Nicholas Percy and Jessica Mayho are involved in respective discus and hammer competitions. England title holders Craig Murch (hammer), Emma Hamplett and Gavin Johnson-Assoon (javelin) are also listed.
Kare Adenegan after setting a new 100m world record at the 2018 Anniversary Games in London. Photo: Morris Fox/MV4R Photography
T34 world record holder Kare Adenegan – still just 19 – will line up just days shy of what would’ve been the opening of her 2020 Paralympic Games.
As athletes step up their preparation for next month’s British Athletics Championships, two athletes who have shown great promise this year are expected in the long jump. Alex Farquharson set a 7.77m personal best indoors in February while Rebecca Chapman recently leaped to 6.51m, her best effort since medalling at the nationals in 2017. In a similar vein, sprint hurdler and European under-23 medallist Cameron Fillery comes in just days after a win in Poland where his time was 0.01 off his fastest.
Sunday’s format involves Birchfield taking on a team from Thames Valley Harriers, along with opposition from Coventry Godiva and a selection of local competitors under the name ‘Nuneaton Nomads’.
A points-based competition – with eight being awarded for the winner, six for second, four for third and two for fourth – will decide the winners, with each team having two ‘joker cards’ which can double the points for one man and one woman in each squad.
Check out this page for a full list of who is competing.
