Butchart heads up British team for European Cross Country Championships

02.12.16

British Athletics have announced the 36-strong team heading to the European Cross Country Championships in Chia, Italy, including Olympic 5000m sixth placer Andrew Butchart (handicap -6.9) and senior women’s 2014 European gold medallist Gemma Steel (handicap -1.7).

Butchart heads up the senior men’s team following a highly impressive run at the trials in Liverpool last weekend where he powered away to victory ahead of compatriot Callum Hawkins (handicap -7.0) in a gripping race. The Scottish pair are joined on the team by Andy Vernon (handicap -6.4), an individual bronze medallist at the 2013 edition of the championships.

Steel makes her fourth consecutive team for the championships following a fourth consecutive win at the trials, with Charlotte Arter (handicap -0.7)) and Steph Twell (handicap -1.8) amongst those adding medal potential to the team.

Jonny Davies (handicap -5.7), the first U23 finisher at the trials in Sefton Park, will head to Italy looking to defend his title of U23 champion from last year’s championships in Hyères.

Bedford & County athlete Rebecca Murray (handicap -0.4) will look to build on her 14^th place finish at the 2015 championships following her U23 triumph in Liverpool, and will be joined by European U23 10,000m bronze medallist Alice Wright (handicap -1.0) and Jessica Judd (handicap -0.9), the latter a second place finisher in Milton Keynes.

Alex Yee (handicap -4.2) will look to round off a year of achievement following an impressive victory in Liverpool. The Kent AC junior finished ninth in the 5000m final at the IAAF World Junior championships this year and will be looking to translate the strong form seen at Sefton Park into Italy’s championships.

Accompanied by a host of European Cross debutants, Victoria Weir (handicap 0.9) earns her first British junior vest for the championships following a spirited sprint finish in Liverpool which saw her break the tape ahead of 2015 European Cross Country Junior silver medallist Harriet Knowles-Jones (handicap -0.3).

Spencer Duval, the Team Leader, said: “Last year’s championships in Hyères were a success once again with our team topping the medal table for the 13^th consecutive year, and we are hopeful that those selected for Chia can continue the strong record we have at the European Cross Country championships.

“We have seen what several of those selected for the team are capable of, and we are confident that the team has the potential to win medals across the age groups.”

The British Athletics team for the European Cross Country Championships in Chia, Italy on Sunday 11 December 2016:

Senior Men

Andrew Butchart (-6.9)

Ben Connor (-5.9)

Dewi Griffiths (-6.1)

Callum Hawkins (-7.0)

Ross Millington (-6.1)

Andy Vernon (-6.4)

Senior Women

Charlotte Arter (-0.7)

Katrina Jones (-1.4)

Emily Hosker-Thornhill (-0.3)