Katarina Johnson-Thompson will compete in the long jump at next month’s World Indoor Athletics Championships in Sopot, Poland, although sprinter James Dasaolu will be missing after injury forced him out of the 35-strong Great Britain squad.
Johnson-Thompson had been hoping to compete in the pentathlon after claiming double gold at the British Championships earlier this month, breaking the national high jump record and achieving a personal best in the long jump in the process.
But she missed her chance to qualify for the Worlds after illness forced her to withdraw from last weekend’s pentathlon event in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, and the IAAF opted against offering her a wildcard invitation.
She will compete instead in the long jump at the event between March 7-9 and is joined by Shara Proctor, winner of the silver medal two years ago in Istanbul.
Meanwhile Dasaolu, ranked number one in the world in the 60m this year after posting a personal best of 6.47 seconds at last weekend’s Indoor Grand Prix in Birmingham, was looking to add to his silver medal from last year’s European Indoor Championships.
But despite winning the final in Birmingham, the 26-year-old suffered a hamstring injury leaving Richard Kilty to take his place in the GB squad alongside world indoor bronze medallist Dwain Chambers.
Andrew Osagie, winner of 800m bronze and Tiffany Porter, silver in the 60m hurdles, are two other individual medallists selected from two years ago.
Selectors have also rewarded recent strong performances with Nigel Levine picked for the 400m after impressing with victory at last weekend’s Indoor Grand Prix, while Laura Muir, currently number one in the world over 800m, also makes the team.
Asha Philip, ranked second in the world, goes in the 60m alongside 19-year-old rising sprint star Sophie Papps.
While in the field events, pole vaulters Holly Bleasdale and Luke Cutts, ranked second in their events, lead the way following strong indoor campaigns in 2014.
British Athletics Performance Director Neil Black said: “This is a relatively young team with a number of new faces taking individual places which is encouraging as we focus on long term development towards 2016 and 2017.
“Where there were any close decisions we have prioritised the Sainsbury’s British Athletics Championships results and it is good to see athletes and their coaches who have made significant breakthroughs in the last year are maintaining those results.”
© Sportsbeat 2014