Keely Hodgkinson and Josh Kerr lead 62 athletes on Olympic funding for Team GB on road to LA28
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Membership today.
Already a member?
Log in
Keely Hodgkinson and Josh Kerr lead a group of 62 athletes nominated for funding on the road to the LA28 Olympics.
The squad will be part of the UK Athletics Olympic World Class Programme (WCP) for 2027, with tiers dependent on chances of landing Team GB a medal.
Funded by the National Lottery, the scheme aims to create a path for athletes en route to Los Angeles, with levels including: Podium, Podium Potential, Relay and Confirmation.
While the likes of Hodgkinson and Kerr have world-class set-ups already, athletes will be supported across competition opportunities, training camps and multidisciplinary support from UK Athletics’ performance practitioners, sports science and medical teams, in a bit to fulfil potential.
Athletes must demonstrate realistic potential and demonstrated performance capability to achieve podium success at LA 2028 or be a candidate to do so in future Olympic cycles.
Paula Dunn, Performance Director at UK Athletics, said: “I would like to thank UK Sport and The National Lottery for their continued investment in the World Class Programme. Their support is fundamental to our ability to provide athletes with competition opportunities and performance support they need to compete on the world stage.
“This group reflects the strength and depth of talent we currently have across British athletics, bringing together established international medallists alongside an exciting generation of emerging athletes who have demonstrated the potential to achieve success at future global championships.
“As we continue building towards the Olympic Games in Los Angeles and beyond, this programme will play a vital role in helping athletes maximise their performance and realise their ambitions. Selection to the World Class Programme recognises both current achievement and future potential.
“I would also like to thank the coaches, practitioners, families and wider support networks whose commitment and expertise are so important to the development of the athletes. For those not included in this year’s programme, we recognise the hard work and commitment that has gone into reaching this level. Athlete development looks different for everyone.”
2027 World Class Programme
Olympic Podium
Amber Anning (Brighton & Hove)
Dina Asher-Smith (Blackheath & Bromley)
Max Burgin (club:Halifax Harriers, coach:Ian Burgin)
Emile Cairess (Leeds City, Renato Canova)
Molly Caudery (Thames Valley, Scott Simpson)
Keely Hodgkinson (Leigh, Trevor Painter)
Amy Hunt (Marco Airale)
Georgia Hunter Bell (Belgrave Harriers, Trevor Painter)
Zharnel Hughes (Shaftesbury Barnet, Glen Mills)
Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Liverpool, Aston Moore)
Josh Kerr (Edinburgh, Danny Mackey)
Morgan Lake (Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow, Yannick Tregaro)
Scott Lincoln (City of York, Dale Stevenson)
Laura Muir (Dundee Hawkhill, Laura Weightman)
Daryll Neita (Cambridge Harriers, Lance Brauman)
Jade O’Dowda (Newham and Essex Beagles, John Lane)
Ben Pattison (Basingstoke & Mid Hants, Dave Ragan)
Jemma Reekie (Kilbarchan, Jon Bigg)
Jazmin Sawyers (City of Stoke, Aston Moore)
Jake Wightman (Edinburgh, John Hartigan)
Matthew Hudson-Smith (Birchfield Harriers, Gary Evans)
Olympic Podium Potential
Charlie Dobson (Colchester)
Tyri Donovan (Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow, Marina Armstrong)
Success Eduan (Sale Harriers Manchester, Anita Richardson)
Romell Glave (Croydon, Michael Afilaka)
Neil Gourley (Giffnock North, Stephen Haas)
Megan Keith (Inverness, Ross Cairns)
Mahamed Mahamed (Southampton, Idris Hamud)
George Mills (Brighton Phoenix, Thomas Dreißigacker)
Emily Newnham (Shaftesbury Barnet, Nick Dakin)
Hannah Nuttall (Charnwood AC, Helen Clitheroe)
Jake Norris (Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow, Nick Ridgeon)
Tade Ojora (Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow)
Elise Thorner (Yeovil Olympiad, Helen Clitheroe)
Olympic Relay
Jeremiah Azu (Cardiff, Helen James)
Lewis Davey (Newham & Essex Beagles, Trevor Painter)
Toby Harries (Brighton Phoenix, David Sadkin)
Alex Haydock-Wilson (Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow)
Desiree Henry (Enfield & Haringey)
Louie Hinchliffe (Sheffield & Dearne, Carl Lewis)
Yemi Mary John (Woodford Green Essex Ladies, Alan James)
Imani-Lara Lansiquot (Marco Airale)
Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake (Newham & Essex Beagles, Michael Afilaka)
Lina Nielsen (Shaftesbury Barnet, Jack Green)
Laviai Nielsen (Enfield & Haringey)
Sam Reardon (Blackheath & Bromley, Nigel Stickings)
Nicole Yeargin (Pitreavie, Gregory Sholars)
Olympic Relay Confirmation
Lee Thompson (Sheffield & Dearne, John Henson)
Olympic Confirmation
Sam Bennett (Basildon AC, Steven Surety)*
Joel Clarke-Khan (Thames Valley Harriers, Deirdre Elmhirst)*
Patrick Dever (Preston, Alastair Cragg)
Abbie Donnelly (Lincoln Wellington AC, Chris Jones)*
Phoebe Gill (St Albans, Mark Rowland)
Calli Hauger-Thackery (Hallamshire, Nick Hauger)
Charlotte Henrich (Invicta East Kent, Nigel Stickings)*
Owen Heard (Harrow AC, Kate Rooney)*
Kimani Jack (Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, Ryan Bailey)*
Arlo Ludewick (Herne Hill Harriers, Norman Poole)*
Stephen Mackenzie (Edinburgh AC)*
Jake Minshall (Coventry Godiva Harriers, James Wright)*
Abigail Pawlett (Trafford, Ashley Bryant)
Marcia Sey (Blackheath & Bromley, David Oliver)*
Relay Support Package
Ben Jefferies (Bristol and West AC)*
