Team GB at the World Athletics Championships

[Rafa Maciel 1,671]

20 minutes ago, Grassmarket said:

Ultimately the important thing that determines DL qualification, sponsorship, UK Athletics funding etc etc is going to be individual rankings so.....

Don't disagree, but equally, many of the athletes in the GB are specifically funded as relay athletes - because, with no disrespect to them, they are unlikely to medal individually - but have decent shout at securing a relay medal.

 

And, without wishing to sound like the doom-monger who used to spam every thread with nonsense talk of funding cuts, the funding available to UK Athletics is ultimately driven by results and in that respect, getting a bronze in the relay is probably worth more than 1, 2 or 3 individuals getting to the semi-finals and then crashing out. 

[Epic Failure 359]

12 minutes ago, Rafa Maciel said:

Don't disagree, but equally, many of the athletes in the GB are specifically funded as relay athletes - because, with no disrespect to them, they are unlikely to medal individually - but have decent shout at securing a relay medal.

 

And, without wishing to sound like the doom-monger who used to spam every thread with nonsense talk of funding cuts, the funding available to UK Athletics is ultimately driven by results and in that respect, getting a bronze in the relay is probably worth more than 1, 2 or 3 individuals getting to the semi-finals and then crashing out. 

The only 2 athletes on relay funding that didn't run in the relay are Vicki O and Reardon. Anning, MHS and Dobson are on individual funding. YMJ is on potential relay funding but ran in the heat obv. 

 

Also, the UK funding is done on an annual level and there are weird rules as to how many athletes can be on which level, and whether you can change levels. So I wouldn't read as much into the specifics on that for any more than a guide. It's as much about making yourself available for things like World Relays.  

 

Finally, the UK sport funding is done on the Olympic cycle. So, arguably, the decision about what happens in a WC matters far less to that. They may still take into account WC performance, but there will be another WC before LA and it is entirely possible that we medal in the mixed relay there. 

 

I'm sure that the athletes and coaches have had many a discussion. And maybe they made a collective decision to focus on the individual here. It would hardly be an absurd choice. 

 

On the subject of hurdlers - Newnham aside - none of the others have done anything to suggest that they would have been better options than those who ran. So really it comes down to whether you think that Reardon and Ohurougu should have been in there. And, for me, Vicki has never shown herself to be a comfortable relay runner, especially as she would have been in traffic due to the set nature of the mixed relay. She usually leads off if she does the relay at all. And I'm not going to begrudge Reardon being given the chance of seeing what his first major individual champs looks like. 

 

If the focus is *just* maximising medals, sure, it probably was a poor choice.

 

If at least part of it is helping to maximise the future potential of athletes, I have no problem with the decisions made. 

[Olympicsnell 332]

On 9/13/2025 at 12:06 PM, chargundam said:

Yep I see the complaints about usa and teamgb kits being a bit too similar have a good point🤣

am i going insane, but some of GB are running in a (much nicer) white jersey. e.g josh kerr

 

 

[chargundam 43]

15 minutes ago, Olympicsnell said:

am i going insane, but some of GB are running in a (much nicer) white jersey. e.g josh kerr

 

 

I've heard that there's choices for them to pick between. But I can't confirm that

[Olympicsnell 332]

molly being wheeled off, shes gonna start hating major championships

[Epic Failure 359]

31 minutes ago, chargundam said:

I've heard that there's choices for them to pick between. But I can't confirm that

They do have choices. Muir and a few others have chosen the more traditional white. 

 

Gutting for Molly. She was definitely one of our better individual medal hopes. 

[Mkbw50 454]

Can finally watch this after being at footy on Saturday and a card game tournament on Sunday

Hopefully our team do better than me (one win, one draw, three losses)

[George_D 1,474]

Jake Wightman in 1500m wins first medal (silver) for  in WC2025 

[Mkbw50 454]

Big day because after going to  I can finally sit on my arse for the whole session and just watch athletics

[George_D 1,474]

Women's Heptathon:

 

Katarina Johnson-Thompson mark 1.86 in High Jump, SB