Dina Asher-Smith leads Team GB athletics squad selected for Tokyo Olympics
The delayed 2020 Olympics are scheduled to start next month.
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Your support makes all the difference.Dina Asher-Smith tops the list of athletes selected for Team GB ahead of the start of the Olympics next month.
The world 200m champion is one of the squad’s biggest medal hopes on the track in Tokyo in the 100m and 200m.
World heptathlon champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson joins the team for her third Olympics, subject to demonstrating her fitness ahead of Tokyo after battling a serious Achilles injury this year.
The 28-year-old, who won world gold in Doha in 2019, suffered the injury late last year.
CJ Ujah won the men’s 100m in Manchester on Saturday to seal his spot after European 100m champion Zharnel Hughes was disqualified for a false start but the 25-year-old, who had the qualifying standard, makes the team.
Reece Prescod is the third man selected for the 100m with Adam Gemili focusing on the 200m. Richard Kilty and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake help them make up the men’s 4x100m relay squad.
Rising star Keely Hodgkinson guaranteed her place on the team for Japan after winning the 800m at the British trials in Manchester at the weekend.
Jemma Reekie also qualified for the event after finishing second while European 1500m champion Laura Muir joins the pair in the 800m and will also double-up in the 1500m in the delayed Games, postponed from last year amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Olympic head coach at UK Athletics, Christian Malcolm, said, “Every athlete and their support network should be incredibly proud of their achievement during a challenging last 18 months.
“As we saw from the high-quality British Athletics Championships and trials at the weekend, a number of athletes stepped up and delivered exceptional performances to earn their nomination to Team GB.
“To represent your country at an Olympic Games is an incredibly rewarding achievement, whether you have competed at a Games previously or if this is your first call-up.
“My message to those athletes nominated is enjoy this moment and keep your focus in these last few weeks as we countdown to the Games.”
Lawrence Okoye makes a successful return to Team GB having reached the men’s discus final at London 2012 after spending seven years – five in the NFL – focusing on American football.
World Indoor 60m hurdles champion Andrew Pozzi competes in the 110m hurdles.
Daryll Neita and Asha Philip will race in the women’s 100m with Asher-Smith, who is joined in the 200m by Beth Dobbin. Imani-Lara Lansiquot and Ashleigh Nelson are included with them in the women’s 4x100m relay squad.
Holly Bradshaw, who jumped 4.90m at the trials – the third best in the world this year – competes in the women’s pole vault while Meghan Beesley, Jessie Knight and Jessica Turner are in the 400m hurdles.
Sir Mo Farah failed to make the team after missing the qualifying time in his 10,000m attempt in Manchester on Friday, meaning he will not defend the title he won, along with the 5,000m, in 2012 and 2016.