The British Athletics Championships are being held in Manchester this weekend, with many events seeing fierce competition for places at the Paris Olympic Games.
Here the PA news agency looks at some of the notable people and events.
Sprint Battle
To be selected for the British team, an athlete will most likely need to finish in the top two in Manchester and achieve the World Athletics qualification standard. The sprint races will be particularly intriguing. Sheffield athlete Louis Hinchcliffe is one of the breakout stars of 2024, having already clocked 9.95 seconds in the men’s 100m, comfortably below the 10.0 second qualifying standard. But with Jeremiah Azu and Reece Prescod also achieving the qualification standard, the competition is set to be stiff. There’s also an exciting head-to-head showdown in the women’s 200m between Olympic medal favourite Dina Asher-Smith and fellow 100m competitor Daryl Neita.
Need to deliver
Tokyo silver medallist Laura Muir is the favourite to win the women’s 1500m but will face stiff competition from last year’s winner Katie Snowden, Melissa Courtney Bryant, Georgia Bell and Rebbie Walcott-Nolan, all of whom have met the qualifying standard.
800m Battle
Two of the most anticipated events are the 800m. Josh Kerr will compete in the men’s event. Having won gold at last year’s World Championships, Kerr is already guaranteed a place in Paris in the 1,500m but will test his mettle in the sprint event, adding some excitement to what could already be a close contest between Elliot Giles, Ben Pattison, Daniel Lowden and Max Virgin. Keeley Hodgkinson will not compete in the women’s event, as she will compete in the 400m for similar reasons to Kerr. This could open up an opportunity for Gemma Reekie and the promising 17-year-old prospect Phoebe Gill.
Fitness issues
Heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson will be testing her form and fitness after being forced to withdraw from the recent European Championships due to injury. The two-time world champion will compete in the high jump, 200m and javelin. Britain’s fastest runner over 100m, Zarnell Hughes, and 2022 World Championship 1500m gold medallist Jake Wightman, are both withdrawn with medical clearance due to hamstring and calf injuries respectively.
Field Events
Johnson-Thompson aside, there should be more interest in the field events: World indoor champion Molly Caudalie is the favourite to win the women’s pole vault, but Tokyo bronze medallist Holly Bradshaw is also a threat, and Scott Lincoln, who placed fourth at the Europeans, will compete in the men’s shot put.
Other things worth noting
There are a number of other athletes to watch, including US resident Amber Anning in the women’s 400m and medal favourite Matthew Hudson-Smith (200m) in the men’s 400m.