Asher-smith and KJT head Commonwealth challenge

Dina Asher-smith and Katarina Johnson-thompson will lead Team England’s athletics medal hopes at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham which start next month.

Heptathlon champion Johnsonthompson will attempt to defend the crown she won at Gold Coast in 2018. World 200metres champion Asher-smith will run in the 100m and 4x100m, aiming to improve on the 100m individual bronze she won four years ago, having also claimed gold in the relay.

Both women expected to be included and Team England have now confirmed their athletics squad for the Games, which start on July 28.

Keely Hodgkinson, who won 800m silver at last year’s Olympics, is also included along with Holly Bradshaw, who won Team GB’S first ever Olympic pole vault medal when she took bronze in Tokyo.

Daryll Neita, who reached the Olympic 100m final, will compete in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m relay.

Sprinters Nethaneel Mitchellblake and Reece Prescod (100m) are joined by Adam Gemili and Zharnel Hughes, who will both run in the 200m, with all four in the 4x100m relay squad.

European 400m champion Matthew Hudson-smith will also race at his home track of the Alexander Stadium.

He said: “It’s a great honour to be selected. It’s my third Commonwealth Games selection and I think this one means the most, especially as it’s a home championship.

“It will mean a lot to be able to compete at home in front of friends and family and represent England again.

“With all the training and the experiences that I’ve gone through I feel like I am a lot more prepared than I’ve ever been. It’s going to be fun, exciting, scary, but I’m looking forward to it.”