Great Britain will look to fine-tune their preparations for this summer’s World Championships after British Athletics named a strong squad for the IAAF World Relays in Nassau, Bahamas next month.
The squad for the competition from April 22-23 includes nine Olympic relay medallists, ten World Championship relay medallists and 15 European relay medallists.
Last summer’s Olympic 4x400m bronze medal winnning quartet of Eilidh Doyle, Emily Diamond, Anyika Onuora and Christine Ohuruogu are reunited in competition for the first time since Rio – plus Kelly Massey who ran in the qualifying round.
In the men’s equivalent, the 2015 World Championship bronze medallists of Jarryd Dunn, Martyn Rooney, Delano Williams and Rabah Yousif are selected.
As for the men’s 4x100m, newly crowned European Indoor 60m champions Richard Kilty and Asha Philip are included in the men’s and women’s teams respectively.
Among those joining Kilty are Adam Gemili and Chinjindu Uhjah – two people with whom he won European 4x100m gold with in Amsterdam in 2016 – while Philip is joined by her fellow Rio 4x100m bronze medallists Desiree Henry and Daryll Neita. Dina Asher-Smith is absent as she continues her rehab from injury.
Those teams finishing in the top eight in the 4x100m and 4x400m for both men and women will earn automatic entry places for the World Championships in London this summer.
Performance Director for British Athletics Neil Black said: “We are taking these championships incredibly seriously, something we have shown by selecting our best possible teams.
“We really only have two competitive chances to test out our strike four relay teams ahead of the IAAF World Championships in London this summer – this April in Nassau and at the European Team Championships in June – so it was essential that all those who are fit made themselves available for selection.
“I am looking for the team to grasp this opportunity and make a big statement of intent in the Bahamas.
“We have such strength and depth in our relay squads that our athletes should be desperate to make all British Athletics relay teams, and being available for selection at the World Relay Championships reflects that ambition.”
Men’s squad
Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (Benke Blomkvist)
Ojie Edoburun (Jonas Tawiah-Dodoo)
Adam Gemili (Rana Reider)
Zharnel Hughes (Glen Mills)
Richard Kilty (Michael Khmel)
Danny Talbot (Benke Blomkvist)
Chijindu Ujah (Jonas Tawiah-Dodoo)
4x400m
Theo Campbell (James Hillier)
Jarryd Dunn (Keith Holt)
Matthew Hudson-Smith (Tony Hadley)
Martyn Rooney (Graham Hedman)
Delano Williams (Neil Harrison)
Rabah Yousif (Carol Williams)
Women’s squad
Desiree Henry (Rana Reider)
Imani Lansiquot (Jonas Tawiah-Dodoo)
Daryll Neita (Jonas Tawiah-Dodoo)
Ashleigh Nelson (Michael Afilaka)
Asha Philip (Steve Fudge)
Jodie Williams (Ryan Freckleton)
4x400m
Eilidh Doyle (Malcolm Arnold)
Emily Diamond (Jared Deacon)
Kelly Massey (Stephen Ball)
Laviai Nielsen (Frank Adams)
Anyika Onuora (Rana Reider)
Christine Ohuruogu (Lloyd Cowan)
Sportsbeat 2017