Lee McConnell was today included in UK Athletics’ first wave of selections for the Olympic Games in Beijing. Having secured the qualifying standard at a meeting in Lugano, Switzerland earlier this month, her winning run at this weekend’s Aviva Trials has secured her place in both the individual 400m and the relay squad.
McConnell is named alongside World gold and silver medalists Christine Ohuruogu and Nicola Sanders, neither of whom took to the track for the trials 400m, Ohuruogu opting to test her speed over 200m where she took silver behind Emily Freeman in 22.99. Nicola Sanders opted out of the event due to illness.
Scotland’s other Olympic hopefuls will have to wait until the final selections on the 19th of July to find out if they will be joining McConnell on the plane to Beijing. Susan Scott has the 1500m qualifying standard and finished second behind Lisa Dobriskey at the trials. If she can dip under the qualifying time for a second time before the final selections are made, her selection will be guaranteed. Dobriskey is named in the team but, with four women having run under the qualifying standard the selectors will leave the selection of the final two places until Saturday.
Andrew Lemoncello is the only other Scott to possess an Olympic ‘A’ standard with his 8.23.74 run over the 3k steeplechase last year. Just out-dipped on the line for the silver medal this weekend Lemoncello may need to post another quick time to convince the selectors to include him. However, the only other British athlete with the steeplechase ‘A’ standard, Stuart Stokes, finished fourth at the trials on Sunday so barring the athletes who took the top two spots posting an qualifying time both men may be given the nod.
Other Scots who will be looking to impress the selectors over the next week include Allan Scott who has run the 110m hurdles ‘B’ qualifying multiple times this year. At the trials he equaled his season’s best of 13.67 to take the silver medal with the ‘A’ qualifying set at 13.55. Carey Easton will need a strong run to convince selectors to name her in the 4×400m relay pool alongside Lee McConnell after a disappointing 5th place finish on Saturday.
The athletes selected in the first wave are:
MEN
100m
Simeon Williamson (Highgate Harriers)
200m
Marlon Devonish (Coventry Godiva); Christian Malcolm (Cardiff AAC); Alex Nelson (Sale Harriers Manchester);
400m
Martyn Rooney (Croydon Harriers); Andrew Steele (Trafford AC)*
800m
Michael Rimmer (Liverpool Pembroke & Sefton Harriers)
1500m
Andy Baddeley (Harrow AC); Tom Lancashire (Bolton Harriers)
5000m
Mo Farah (Newham & Essex)
110m hurdles
Andrew Turner (Sale Harriers Manchester)
High Jump
Germaine Mason (unattached); Tom Parsons (Birchfield Harriers)
Pole Vault
Steve Lewis (Newham & Essex)
Long Jump
Greg Rutherford (Marshall Milton Keynes); Chris Tomlinson (Newham & Essex)
Triple Jump
Larry Achike (Shaftesbury Barnet); Nathan Douglas (Oxford City); Phillips Idowu (Belgrave Harriers);
Decathlon
Daniel Awde (Woodford Green & Essex Ladies)
4×100m
Harry Aikines-Aryeety (Belgrave Harriers); Tyrone Edgar (Newham & Essex); Craig Pickering (Marshall Milton Keynes); Simeon Williamson (Highgate Harriers)
4×400m
Michael Bingham (unattached); Richard Buck (City of York)*; Martyn Rooney (Croydon Harriers); Andrew Steele (Trafford AC)*; Rob Tobin (Basingstoke & Mid Hants)
WOMEN
100m
Jeanette Kwayke (Woodford Green & Essex Ladies)
200m
Emily Freeman (Wakefield Harriers)
400m
Lee McConnell (Shaftesbury Barnet); Christine Ohuruogu (Newham & Essex); Nicola Sanders (Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow)
800m
Marilyn Okoro (Shaftesbury Barnet)
1500m
Lisa Dobriskey (Ashford AC)
5000m
Jo Pavey (Exeter Harriers)
10,000m
Jo Pavey (Exeter Harriers)
3000m steeple chase
Helen Clitheroe (Preston Harriers); Barbara Parker (City of Norwich AC)
400m hurdles
Tasha Danvers (Shaftesbury Barnet)
Pole Vault
Kate Dennison (Sale Harriers Manchester)
Long Jump
Jade Johnson (Herne Hill)
Discus
Philippa Roles (Swansea Harriers)
Javelin
Goldie Sayers (Belgrave Harriers)
Heptathlon
Kelly Sotherton (Birchfield Harriers); Julie Hollman (Birchfield Harriers)
4×100m
Emma Ania (Shaftesbury Barnet); Montell Douglas (Blackheath & Bromley); Jeanette Kwayke (Woodford Green & Essex Ladies); Anyika Onuora (Liverpool Harriers); Laura Turner (Harrow AC)
4×400m
Lee McConnell (Shaftesbury Barnet); Christine Ohuruogu (Newham & Essex); Nicola Sanders (Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow)
* Subject to confirmation of medical fitness by 10:00 on 19th July
Already announced on 19 May:
Marathon
Dan Robinson (Stroud & District)
20k walk
Johanna Jackson (Redcar)
Marathon
Paula Radcliffe (Bedford & County); Mara Yamauchi (Harrow AC); Liz Yelling (Bedford & County)
