THIRTEEN Scots have been selected for British Athletics’ Programme for the coming year, up from eleven last season.
Four athletes have been included in the top tier of funding, Olympic Podium; Callum Hawkins, Laura Muir, Lynsey Sharp and Jake Wightman.
The announcement is a huge boost for Wightman in particular, who has been promoted to the highest tier for the first time.
The 25-year-old set a new 1500m personal best, as well as a Scottish record, earlier this year of 3 minutes 31.87 seconds in finishing in fifth place in the World Championships final in Doha in October.
Hawkins and Muir both illustrated their potential for getting Olympic silverware with strong years, while Sharp maintains her place on the top level of funding having had a mixed year.
Other notable names included on the Olympic Podium level are Dina Asher-Smith, Katarina Johnson-Thomson, Mo Farah and Adam Gemili.
Six Scots are on Olympic Podium Potential funding with Neil Gourley being included on the programme for the first time and Steph Twell returning to the funded group of athletes.
Gourley has secured selection by becoming British 1500m champion before reaching is first World Championship final in Doha.
Twell, who has now moved from the track to the road, set a new Scottish record in the marathon in the Frankfurt Marathon in October, where she ran 2 hours 26 minutes 40 seconds in only her second marathon ever.
Also included on the Olympic Podium Potential tier is Jemma Reekie, a training partner of Laura Muir, who has come into her own this season. The 21-year-old became British Indoor 1500m champion before reaching her first global championship final at the World Championships.
Eilish McColgan, Andy Butchart and Josh Kerr are also included.
Selected for the relay squads are sprinter Beth Dobbin, as well as Zoey Clark and Eilidh Doyle are included. Doyle is due to give birth in January.
Paralympic selections will be made in the new year, due to the late-season scheduling of the World Para Athletics Champs.
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