Sayers Confirmed as Captain
6th August 2014
Goldie Sayers (Mark Roberson) has today been announced as Great Britain & Northern Ireland team captain for the European Championships in Zurich, Switzerland 12-17 August 2014.
Sayers, who competed for the GB & NI junior team as far back as 1998 just two days after her sixteenth birthday, has recently returned from a career-threatening elbow injury. Eleven national titles and fourth at the 2008 Beijing Olympics are amongst the highlights of her 16 year representative career.
She said:
"Obviously I was thrilled when Neil asked me. Having had a fairly nightmarish past 18 months - and not knowing whether I'd ever throw or compete again - getting back into the GB vest alone has been incredible. To say captaincy is an added bonus, is a massive understatement.
“My initial instinct was to make my captain's speech the best ever, but to be honest, I just hope I can say something suitably inspiring - and be there to offer any advice. I like to think I've picked up quite a bit of experience over the years!
“I’ve been told I am a role model because of my career longevity, but looking around me, at this incredibly young team, I am in awe of how professional and motivated everyone is. There is so much hunger, and so many of the younger guys are already making the huge transition to world class.
“It’s an honour to be captain to this new crop.”
British Athletics Performance Director Neil Black said: “I was delighted to offer Goldie this captaincy. She has a career that has spanned both junior and senior ranks that sets a real example to the youngsters making that transition.
“If anyone can offer words of advice and inspiration to our team, I know that she can, and I look forward to seeing her back in the GB & NI vest.”
With the team set to transfer into Zurich this weekend, following a quick transition from Home Country representation in Glasgow, a number of changes are now confirmed.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Mike Holmes) will not compete in Zurich after not recovering sufficiently from the foot injury that forced her Commonwealth Games withdrawal. In taking the longer term view rather than short term risk, it will enable her to commence a full winter training programme as originally planned.
Phillips Idowu (Gary Bourne) has also withdrawn following his Glasgow 2014 appearance, with a view to getting back into training and rediscovering his best form.
Jake Wightman (Geoff Wightman) has ended his season having struggled last week in Glasgow with a hamstring problem, whilst Meghan Beesley (Nick Dakin) who withdrew from Team England last month with injury will now not compete in Zurich. Shara Proctor (Rana Reider) who pulled out of the Glasgow long jump competition will not travel to Zurich either.
Seb Roger (James Hillier) replaces Dai Greene (Malcolm Arnold) in the men’s 400m hurdles after the former world champion, who was originally selected subject to achieving the qualifying standard, did not achieve the standard at the Commonwealth Games. Christine Ohuruogu (Lloyd Cowan) confirmed her place in the team after achieving the standard in Loughborough on 19 July.
GB & NI team for the European Athletics Championships:
MEN:
100m:
Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (Rana Reider) – Sutton & District
Dwain Chambers (Reider) - Belgrave
James Dasaolu (Steve Fudge) - Croydon
200m:
James Ellington (Reider) – Newham & Essex
Adam Gemili (Fudge) – Blackheath & Bromley
Daniel Talbot (Dan Cossins) - Birchfield
400m:
Matthew Hudson-Smith (Tony Hadley) - Birchfield
Martyn Rooney (Reider) - Croydon
Conrad Williams (Linford Christie) - Kent
800m:
Andrew Osagie (Craig Winrow) - Harlow
Michael Rimmer (Jon Bigg) – Liverpool Pembroke Sefton
1500m:
Charlie Grice (Bigg) - Brighton Phoenix
Chris O’Hare (Terrence Mahon) - Edinburgh
5000m:
Mo Farah (Alberto Salazar) – Newham & Essex
Tom Farrell - Border
Andy Vernon (Nic Bideau) – Aldershot Farnham & District
10000m:
Mo Farah (Salazar)
Chris Thompson (Alan Storey) – Aldershot Farnham & District
Andy Vernon (Bideau)
3000mSC:
James Wilkinson (Phil Townsend) – Leeds City
110mH:
William Sharman (Jerzy Maciukiewicz) - Belgrave
Lawrence Clarke (Malcolm Arnold) – Windsor Slough Eton Hounslow
Andy Turner (Cowan) - Sale
400mH:
Niall Flannery (Nick Dakin) – Newham & Essex
Tom Burton (Dakin) - Tamworth
Seb Roger (James Hillier) – Shaftesbury Barnett
High Jump:
Chris Baker (Sharon Heveran) - Sale
Long Jump:
JJ Jegede (Peter Stanley) – Newham & Essex
Greg Rutherford (Jonas Tawiah-Dodoo) Marshall Milton Keynes
Chris Tomlinson – Newham & Essex
Triple Jump:
Julian Reid (Aston Moore) - Birchfield
Pole Vault:
Steve Lewis (Dan Pfaff) – Newham & Essex
Luke Cutts (Trevor Fox) – Dearne ALC
Jax Thoirs (Pat Licari) – Glasgow City
Decathlon:
Ashley Bryant (Ian Grant) – WSEH
20k Walk:
Tom Bosworth (Andi Drake) - Tonbridge
4 x 100m:
Aikines-Aryeetey, Chambers, Dasaolu, Ellington, Talbot, Gemili, Richard Kilty (Reider) - Gateshead, Chinjindu Ujah (Tawiah-Dodoo) – Enfield & Haringey.
4 x 400m:
Michael Bingham (George Williams) - Birchfield, Hudson-Smith, Nigel Levine (Christie) – WSEH, Rooney, Williams, Rabah Yousif (Carol Williams) – Newham & Essex
WOMEN:
100m:
Asha Philip (Christine Bowmaker) – Newham & Essex
Ashleigh Nelson (Michael Afilaka) - City of Stoke
Desiree Henry (Reider) – Enfield & Haringey
200m:
Dina Asher-Smith (John Blackie) – Blackheath & Bromley
Bianca Williams (Cowan) - Enfield
Jodie Williams (Bowmaker) - Herts Phoenix
400m:
Christine Ohuruogu (Cowan) – Newham & Essex
800m:
Jessica Judd (Rob Denmark) - Chelmsford
Alison Leonard (Bud Baldaro) - Blackburn
Lynsey Sharp (Reider) - Edinburgh
1500m:
Hannah England (Baldaro) – Oxford City
Laura Muir (Andy Young) – Dundee Hawkhill
Laura Weightman (Steve Cram) - Morpeth
5000m:
Julia Bleasdale - Hillingdon
Emelia Gorecka (Mick Woods) – Aldershot Farnham & District
Jo Pavey (Gavin Pavey) - Exeter
10000m:
Pavey
Beth Potter (Woods) – Shaftesbury Barnett
Bleasdale
100mH:
Tiffany Porter (Reider) – Woodford Green with Essex Ladies
400mH:
Eilidh Child (Arnold) - Pitreavie
High Jump:
Morgan Lake (Eldon Lake) - WSEH
Hammer Throw:
Sophie Hitchon (Tore Gustafsson) - Blackburn
Javelin:
Sayers
4 x 100m:
Louise Bloor (Toni Minichiello) - Trafford, Henry, Nelson, Anyika Onuora (Reider) – Liverpool Harriers, Sophie Papps (Cossins) WSEH, Philip, B Williams, J Williams.
4 x 400m:
Margaret Adeoye (Christie) – Enfield & Haringey, Child, Shana Cox (Williams) – Woodford Green EL, Kelly Massey (Stephen Ball) - Sale, Emily Diamond (Cossins) – Bristol & West, Ohuruogu, Victoria Ohuruogu (Cowan) – Newham & Essex, J Williams