Eight world champions set to represent Great Britain at Grosseto 2016
17.05.2016
The British team for the 2016 IPC Athletics European Championships in Italy features 49 athletes.
Eight current world champions are among the 49 strong British Athletics team set to compete at the IPC Athletics European Championships in Grosseto, Italy on 10-16 June.
Richard Whitehead and Sophie Hahn are among the eight athletes who won gold medals in Doha last October and will lead the British squad taking on Europe’s best at the Carlo Zecchini Olympic Stadium. Whitehead goes in the 100m and 200m T42 after setting a remarkable 200m world record of 24.10 in Doha last year. Hahn was also in world record breaking form in 2015, dipping to 12.60 in the 100m T38 and will look to go better once again in a busy schedule that also includes the 200m and 4x100m relay.
Aled Davies extended his own world record in Arizona last week with a throw of 16.13m, a mark which is still to be ratified by the IPC. The Welshman will look to retain the double European gold in the shot put and discus F42 which he achieved on home soil in Swansea 2014. After a successful international debut in Swansea two years ago, Jo Butterfield will have her sights set on retaining her European title in the club throw F32/51, but will face stiff competition from teammates Gemma Prescott and Abbie Hunnisett, who were third and fourth at the previous edition.
World champions Georgie Hermitage and Kadeena Cox both extended their world records last weekend in Barcelona in the 400m and 200m T37 respectively, and will go into the championships full of confidence after impressive starts to their outdoor campaigns. They will also be part of the 4x100m relay T35-38 which includes Maria Lyle, Olivia Breen and Hahn who were part of the gold-medal winning team in Qatar.
Six-time Paralympic champion David Weir will compete over a number of events in Grosseto as he gears up for the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Reigning 100m T44 Paralympic and European champion Jonnie Peacock and long jump T44 Paralympic silver medallist Stef Reid return to the fold after injuries saw them miss out on the IPC Athletics World Championships in October.
Fresh from winning the Invictus Games and setting a huge lifetime best in Arizona, David Henson, will have his sights set on a podium finish after clocking 24.71 at the IPC Athletics Grand Prix in Tempe.
There is also a welcome return to action for David Devine who, up until March, had only competed once since his double bronze medal triumph at the London 2012 Paralympic Games. Despite an injury-hit four years, the 24-year-old has shown he is getting back to his best after clocking 3:56.36 over 1500m last weekend.
Also on the comeback trail is 100m T53 Paralympic gold medallist Mickey Bushell, who has battled back from a serious infection to regain his place on the British team where he will be looking to make his mark once again on the major stage.
Ten athletes will be making their senior international debuts in the Italian city including Andrew Small who currently sits fourth in the world rankings in the 100m T33 and will be joined by world number two and three in Daniel Bramall and Toby Gold, who won medals in Doha last year.
Head Coach Paula Dunn said: “We have picked a team consisting of vast experience with the likes of Dave (Weir) and Richard (Whitehead) combined with plenty of potential as we look ahead over the next few years including the 2017 World Championships in London and 2020 Paralympics.”
“Grosseto will give a number of athletes a chance to leave their mark in the build-up to Rio with others using it as a fantastic opportunity to learn and perform on a major stage.“
The British Athletics team for the IPC Athletics European Championships in Grosseto, Italy:
•James Arnott -100m T47
•Joshua Bain - Discus F37
•Graeme Ballard -100m T36
•Daniel Bramall –100m T33
•Olivia Breen – 100m, 200m, long jump T38 and 4x100m relay
•Jonathan Broom-Edwards - high jump T44
•Mickey Bushell –100m and 400m T53
•Jo Butterfield –Club Throw a nd Discus F51
•Richard Chiassaro –100m, 200m, 400m and 4x400m relay T54
•Kadeena Cox – 100m, 200m T37 and 4x100m relay
•Vanessa Daobry –Shot put F34
•Aled Davies – Shot put and discus F42
•David Devine – 1500m T12
•Kyron Duke – Javelin and shot put F41
•Mitchell Dutton – Javelin F38
•Sabrina Fortune – Shot put F20
•Toby Gold – 100m T33
•Dan Greaves – Discus F44
•Kylie Grimes –Club throw F51
•Dylan Harris – 100m and 200m T36
•Sophie Hahn – 100m, 200m T38, 4x100m relay
•James Hamilton –1500m T20
•David Henson – 100m and 200m T42
•Georgie Hermitage –100m, 200m, 400m T37 and 4x100m relay
•Josh Howard – Long jump T38
•Jordan Howe – 100m and 200m T35
•Abbie Hunnisett – Club throw F32
•Mo Jomni – 100m, 200, 400m, 800m T53 and 4x400m relay
•Jade Jones – 400m and 800m T54
•Maria Lyle – 100m, 200m T35 and 4x100m relay
•Nathan Maguire – 200m, 400m, 800m T54 and 4x400m relay
•Erin McBride – 100m and 400m T13
•Stephen Miller – Club throw F32
•Stephen Morris – 1500m T20
•Holly Neill – Discus F41
•Stephen Osborne – 100m and 400m T51
•Jonnie Peacock – 100m T44
•Gemma Prescott – Club throw F32
•Stef Reid – Long jump T44
•Ben Rowlings – 100m, 400m and 800m T34
•Sam Ruddock – Shot put F35
•Zac Shaw –100m and 200m T13
•Andrew Small – 100m T33
•Laura Sugar – 100m and 200m T44
•Carly Tait– 100m, 400m and 800m T34
•Isaac Towers – 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m T34
•Amy Wareing - Discus F38
•David Weir – 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5000m T54 4x400m relay
•Richard Whitehead –100m and 200m T42