Andy Butchart’s standing in British athletics circles has been underlined after he was named as captain of the UK team for Sunday’s European cross-country championships in Chia.
The 25-year-old from Dunblane, who was sixth in the Olympic 5000 metres final, took victory in the trials in Liverpool last month and will spearhead a senior men’s line-up that also includes fellow Scot Callum Hawkins and past medallist Andy Vernon.
And he admits the honour will now complete a 2016 to remember with personal bests and Scottish records galore.
“It has been a great year for me individually, so it will be a proud moment to captain the team at the European Cross Country Championships,” Butchart said.
“I was surprised to receive the phone call asking me to be captain but it was an easy decision to accept it. We are sending arguably one of our strongest ever teams to the Championships and it is good to see five Olympians in the team. As I said at the trials, it is great so many athletes stayed true to their roots and it shows just how important the cross- country season is.
“We have a number of debutants in the team alongside some experienced athletes so it will be interesting to see how we perform as a team. It is a great opportunity for us all and we will be going to try and win as many medals as possible.”
Butchart, along with Hawkins, is also likely to join Mo Farah in the Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for next month’s Great Edinburgh International XC and he will have high hopes of improving on his 35th place from the Europeans in Samokov two years ago.
“Andrew has had a superb year in the sport so it is fitting that he ends the year as captain of the British team in Chia,” UK Athletics team leader Spencer Duval said. “This will be his second European Cross and I have no doubt he will lead by example and bring all his experience to the table.”
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