Streamlined British team announced for Budapest

Technical Director Stephen Maguire defends UK Athletics’ selection policy as 51 athletes get the nod for World Championships

UK Athletics Technical Director Stephen Maguire says he has “no issues” with the streamlined Great Britain and Ireland team which has been selected to compete at next month’s World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

A total of 51 athletes have met what many feel to have been a particularly strict criteria, with some additions to be made next week when World Athletics send out their invitations based on rankings.

The sport’s governing body in Britain will not be accepting all of those invitations, however, as they follow a selection policy which is based on an athlete’s ability to hit a certain standard, prove their form, then challenge for the top eight of an event or to be in medal contention at world level.

A number of athletes who are due to receive invitations have spoken out in recent days with dismay that they will not be given the chance to compete, with some even threatening legal action or even suggesting they would self-fund their way to Hungary.

Maguire insists, however, that taking a smaller team – 77 went to last year’s championships in Oregon – matches the “clarity” of criteria which was announced some months ago.

“I have no issues with that at all when it comes down to the clarity of what we’re trying to do,” he said of the team size. “It’s about the ability to make a final and the ability to challenge for a medal. There are standards we have set in place, and form is a big one, so I’m happy with the squad. The crossbar has been raised and I think it’s a nice, strong squad.

“There’s an awareness of the policy there. I think it is fair for me to recognise that athletes will be hurt because they haven’t made standards and they’ll see it as tough standards. The world and Olympic standards are tough. [But] I think our policy is really clear.”

The likes of Keely Hodgkinson, Dina Asher-Smith, Laura Muir, Katarina Johnson-Thompson and the in-form 100m and 200m British record-holder Zharnel Hughes lead the team.

Newly crowned European U23 champion Megan Keith will head to her first World Championships, as will Isabelle Boffey in the women’s 800m while Eilish McColgan – the Commonwealth 10,000m champion who was in record-breaking form earlier this year but has struggled with injury since having to withdraw from her marathon debut in London back in…