Injury narrows Muir’s focus as Britain prepare biggest team
LAURA MUIR will only race in the 1,500m at the European Championships as she hunts her first major outdoor title.
The 25-year-old has opted to withdraw from the 800m after suffering an inflamed Achilles at the Anniversary Games at the weekend.
British Athletics confirmed a 102-strong team for the championships in Berlin next month with CJ Ujah also getting the expected selectors’ pick for the final 100m spot.
Muir claimed bronze in the 3000m and silver in the 1500m at the World Indoor Championships in March having won gold in both at the European Indoors last year.
Performance director Neil Black said: “The standard of performances from British athletes since the Commonwealth Games in April has been extremely high and therefore competition for places to Berlin has been more competitive than ever.”
World No 1 Lorraine Ugen is included in the long jump with fellow European leaders Zharnel Hughes (100m) and Dina AsherSmith (100m and 200m) tipped to win gold. For the first time at a major championships there are more women (56) selected than men (46).
Pole vault duo Adam Hague (Sheffield and Dearne) and Charlie Myers (Middlesbrough) will represent Yorkshire, along with Middlesbrough’s Rabah Yousif in the 400m individual and relay, Marc Scott of Richmond and Zetland in the 5,000m; the Leedsbased race-walking quartet of Tom Bosworth, Callum Wilkinson, Gemma Bridge and Bethan Davies, plus double Olympic finalist Laura Weightman in the 1,500m.