ROBBIE SIMPSON has been confirmed along side fellow Scot Callum Hawkins and unheralded Welshman Josh Griffiths in the UK’s marathon team for August’s IAAF world championships in London.
The 25-year-old, who has previously represented Great Britain & Northern Ireland in mountain running, made his case for selection by finishing as the second home finisher in last Sunday’s London Marathon in 15th place overall.
And although Hawkins was already guaranteed a spot following his top-ten placing at last year’s Olympic Games, Simpson admitted his relief at earning a championship debut.
“It has been a goal of mine and I am really happy to have made the team,” he said. “It hasn’t really sunk in yet. I don’t think a lot of people expected me to make the team, and maybe I didn’t think I could but I knew if I ran a good tactical race at the London Marathon, I would have a chance.”
Alyson Dixon, Charlotte Purdue and Tracey Barlow – the first three British females in London – make up the women’s squad but Hawkins, who broke the Scottish half-marathon record in Japan earlier this year, is expected to be the strongest candidate for success.
“We’re not just picking these athletes to make up the numbers,” said UK Athletics performance director Neil Black. “Even though he is young for this event Callum has already proven he is a true world class marathoner. And Josh stunned the world with his 13 th place this past weekend. I expect all of these athletes to produce very competitive performances this summer, especially with the support of a home crowd behind them.”
Meanwhile Laura Muir has confirmed she will open her summer season Stateside after opting to run at the Diamond League meeting in Oregon.
The double European indoor champion, 23, has been training at altitude for the past month, is targeting glory at the world championships in London in August with a potential twin assault over 1500 and 5000 metres.
And she will opt for the shorter distance in Eugene on May 27 against a top-class field that also includes Rio Olympic champion Faith Kipyegon as well as Dutch rival Sifan Hassan.
Muir is also expected to race the Diamond League stops in Rome, London and Monaco, where she came second last year when Ethiopia’s Genzebe Dibaba broke the world record.
Fellow Scot Andy Butchart is in the line-up for next week’s opening Diamond League event in Doha.
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