Jenny Meadows
Reigning European 800m Indoor Champion Jenny Meadows (coach: Trevor Painter) has been announced as the captain for the GB & NI team for the European Indoor Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden on 1-3 March.
Meadows, who made her competitive comeback last weekend at the British Athletics Birmingham Grand Prix will lead a 29-strong team, two years after winning gold in Paris.
The 31 year old defending gold medallist said: “It’s a great honour to be named captain of the GB & NI team, and I’m really excited to be given the opportunity to follow Helen Clitheroe (John Nuttall), who did such a brilliant job in Paris two years ago.”
Joining Meadows on the plane to Sweden is World Indoor bronze medallist Holly Bleasdale (Dan Pfaff, Scott Simpson), who has enjoyed an impressive start to the 2013 season, clearing 4.75m in Moscow earlier this month, on her way to victory, where she claimed the scalps of Olympic silver medallist Yarisley Silva and 2011 World Champion Fabiana Murer.
Olympic bronze medallist and European high jump Champion Robbie Grabarz (Fayyaz Ahmed) will be looking to match his 2012 outdoor European title by adding to his growing medal collection at the European Indoor Championships, while Perri Shakes-Drayton (Chris Zah) and Eilidh Child (Malcolm Arnold), the second and third fastest in the Europe over 400m will lead British hopes in the two-lap event alongside Olympic semi-finalist Shana Cox (Lloyd Cowan).
Shakes-Drayton, Child and Cox will also have a relay medal in their sights as the trio joined by Christine Ohuruogu (Cowan), Margaret Adeoye (Linford Christie) and Meghan Beesley (Nick Dakin) bid to add gold to the silver won by the 4x400m team two years ago.
Dwain Chambers (Rana Reider), a 60m gold medallist at the 2009 European Indoors will also be looking to put himself in medal contention once again after winning silver last time around. James Dasaolu (Steve Fudge) will join Chambers and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (Reider) in the 60m after recording a personal best of 6.58 on his way to his first UK title in Sheffield two weeks ago.
Asha Philip (Christine Bowmaker), who also ran a lifetime best of 7.15 at the EIS-Sheffield – the second fastest in Europe, will be looking to continue her impressive rise up the rankings, while British long jump record holder Shara Proctor (Reider) will be looking to add to the bronze medal she won at the World Indoor Championships last year.
Michael Rimmer (Norman Poole) and Mukhtar Mohammed (Mustafa Mohammed) ranked number one and two in Europe over 800m will be joined by Joe Thomas (Arwyn Thomas) in Gothenburg, while Lauren Howarth (Peter Riley) will make her senior debut in a GB & NI vest in the 3000m.
After a promising start to the new season, Olympic Head Coach Peter Eriksson believes that if performances continue in the same vein, the GB & NI team are set for a successful championships.
“I have been really encouraged by the performances so far by the team in 2013, and I’m sure this will continue at the European Indoors.
“Jenny (Meadows) has shown that she is a very strong character, with great leadership qualities and experience on this stage – she will be a great captain for the GB & NI team.”
GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND TEAM
MEN
60m:
Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (Rana Reider), Dwain Chambers (Rana Reider), James Dasaolu (Steve Fudge)
400m:
Michael Bingham (George Harrison), Nigel Levine (Linford Christie), Richard Strachan (Linford Christie)
800m:
Mukhtar Mohammed (Mustafa Mohammed), Michael Rimmer (Norman Poole), Joe Thomas (Arwyn Davies)
60m hurdles:
Andrew Pozzi (Malcolm Arnold)
4x400m:
Michael Bingham, Richard Buck (Steve Fudge), Luke Lennon-Ford (Linford Christie), Nigel Levine, Richard Strachan, Conrad Williams (Linford Christie)
High Jump:
Robbie Grabarz (Fayyaz Ahmed)
Pole Vault:
Steve Lewis (Dan Pfaff, Scott Simpson)
Long Jump:
Chris Tomlinson (Rana Reider)
WOMEN:
60m:
Asha Philip (Christine Bowmaker)
400m:
Eilidh Child (Malcolm Arnold), Shana Cox (Lloyd Cowan), Perri Shakes-Drayton (Chris Zah)
800m:
Jenny Meadows (Captain) (Trevor Painter)
1500m:
Laura Muir (Andy Young)
3000m:
Lauren Howarth (Peter Riley)
4x400m:
Margaret Adeoye (Linford Christie), Meghan Beesley (Nick Dakin), Eilidh Child, Shana Cox, Christine Ohuruogu (Lloyd Cowan), Perri Shakes-Drayton
Pole Vault:
Holly Bleasdale (Dan Pfaff, Scott Simpson)
Long Jump:
Shara Proctor (Rana Reider)
Triple Jump:
Yamilé Aldama (Frank Attoh)
