IAU 24-Hour World Championship team announced
Eleven athletes have been selected to represent the British team at the 2021 IAU 24 Hour World Championships in Bucharest, Romania between the 2nd and 3rd October.
Jo Zakrzewski (running handicap 2.7) has represented the British team over the trail, 50km and 100km, winning individual and team medals at these championships. She qualified for her first 24-hour team with a very impressive 235.5km distance last summer.
After recently breaking the British 100-mile record with 14:34:03 at the Centurion Track 100, Samantha Amend (handicap 2.5) will contest her first 24-hour race in a British vest. Jo Newens (handicap 15.7) is another debutant for the team who qualified in 2019 with a 221km win at the Tooting Bec 24-hour race in London.
In 2019, ICU nurse Cat Simpson (handicap 6.1) ran two high-quality 24-hour performances with a 221km win at Crawley 24-hour and a 220km to finish 23rd at the world championships in Albi, France. She is joined by a consistent GB & NI international in recent years, Ali Young who clocked a 100-mile PB at the Centurion Track 100 this April with a time of 15:41:17.
In the men’s line-up, Paul Maskell (handicap 4.5) was the top British finisher at the 2019 world championships. The air ambulance paramedic ended the race in 15th with a then PB of 251.261km.
He is joined by returning members James Stewart (handicap 2.5), who was 17th at that event, and Grant MacDonald (handicap 11.1), who finished 43rd.
Meanwhile, Rob Payne (handicap -2.6) is one of three British men to achieve their first international team call-up having qualified with a 251km win at the Tooting Bec 24-hour race two years ago.
Nathan Flear (handicap 2.9) and Ry Webb (handicap 5.4) complete the men’s team who will be heading to Romania later in the year.