Former world 100m champion heads to European Athletics permit on Wednesday
In past years, the Loughborough European Athletics Permit has seen the likes of Jessica Ennis-Hill, Christine Ohuruogu and Jonnie Peacock compete. This year’s edition, on July 25, sees a strong Jamaican contingent led by former world 100m champion Yohan Blake and world 100m hurdles champion Danielle Williams, while some of Britain’s Berlin-bound squad members continue preparations for the European Championships, writes David Brown.
Blake will be competing in the 100m and 200m off the back of this year’s Müller Anniversary Games. In both events he will be joined by Iran’s Hassan Taftian, an Asian champion and world indoor finalist.
Other international stars include Rio Olympic relay bronze medallist Brendon Rodney of Canada and world indoor 60m finalist Sean Safo-Antwi of Ghana.
The 100m also features Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, para-athletes Zac Shaw and James Arnott, and leading junior Chad Miller.
In the 200m will be Libby Clegg’s new guide runner Tom Somers and British indoor 400m champion Lee Thompson.
Somers will also race the 400m with Jarryd Dunn, Sadam Koumi and Luke Lennon-Ford, with Jamaica’s Commonwealth Games relay medallist Demish Gaye also in action.
Just like Blake, sprint hurdler Williams will compete after the Anniversary Games. She is joined by her sister Shermaine – a two-time Olympian – and fellow Jamaican Yanique Thompson, plus Alicia Barrett and Megan Marrs.
Other Jamaican stars include Olympic relay medallists Samantha Henry-Robinson, Simone Facey and Shashalee Forbes competing the women’s 100m and 200m against Britons Ashleigh Nelson, Hayley Mills and Amy Hunt.
Meghan Beesley is entered for the 400m hurdles and the 400m races. She will be joined by Lina Nielsen and Hayley McLean and, in the flat race, by Amy Allcock and Anastasia Le-Roy.
Other highlights on the track sees men’s 110m hurdles interest in former European and Commonwealth medallist Will Sharman and European under-23 silver medallist Khai Riley-La Borde, while the men’s 400m hurdles will see an appearance from 2014 Commonwealth Games finalist Niall Flannery.
In the field events, Chris Bennett continues his preparations for the European Championships in the men’s hammer where he is joined by Taylor Campbell and former world junior shot put medallist from the Netherlands, Denzel Comenentia.
The one-two in the British Championships, Laura Whittingham and Emma Hamplett, are in the women’s javelin, while Sophie Cook competes in the pole vault.
A timetable can be found here.
