Funding-full Gemili back in GB team

SPRINTER Adam Gemili has retuned to UK Athletics’ Olympic World Class Programme.

The 29-year-old has been listed on UKA’S funding for Olympic relays having been on the Olympic Podium roster last year.

He initially lost his funding, which can be worth up to £28,000, last December after failing to leave coach Rana Reider, who is the subject of a Safe Sport US investigation after multiple complaints of sexual misconduct were made against him, which he denies.

Gemili eventually left Reider in August after suffering a nightmare World Championships where he crashed out of the 200m in the heats and blamed “bad press” about his coach as a contributing factor.

Dina Asher-smith and Keely Hodgkinson lead 66 athletes nominated for the World Class Programme (WCP), which looks to support athletes ahead of next year’s World Championships in Budapest and the 2024 Olympics.

Katarina Johnsonthompson, Laura Muir, Matt Hudson-smith, Daryll Neita and 1500m world champion Jake Wightman are also included.

Eilish Mccolgan, who won 10,000m silver and 5,000m bronze at this year’s European Championships after 10,000m gold and 5,000m silver at the Commonwealth Games, is included on Olympic Podium Potential of the WPC.

The WCP is a National Lottery funded initiative supporting the delivery of success at milestone targets.

It is split into levels reflecting performance levels – Podium, Podium Potential, Relay and Confirmation.

The nomination for WCP membership is subject to UK Sport ratification and a signed athlete agreement between the athlete and UKA.

Stephen Maguire, technical director at UKA, said: “We look forward to working with the athletes and their coaches and seeing where the World Class Programme can support them. Alongside the success of the Futures programme we are seeing a huge amount of young talent emerging through the system and the standards are continuing to rise as those athletes push on.”