Olympic 1500m bronze medallist Georgia Bell is among five athletes to be added to the highest level of UK Athletics funding going into next year’s World Championships in Tokyo.
Bell, 31, achieved a fairytale podium on her Olympic debut at Paris 2024 three years after she returned to the sport, and has since left her job in cyber security to focus on athletics full time.
Emile Cairess, the second-fastest British marathon runner of all-time behind Mo Farah, double Olympic relay bronze medallist Amber Anning, 800m runner Max Burgin and long jumper Jacob Fincham-Dukes join Bell in being promoted to the top tier of funding.
In total, 65 athletes will receive financial support from UKA – down from 67 in the previous year.
Known as the ‘World Class Programme’, the selected athletes are split into four levels on the basis of previous results and potential performance at the next two Olympic Games.
Great Britain won 10 athletics medals at Paris 2024 – the highest number at an Olympics for 40 years.
Rising stars Louie Hinchliffe and Phoebe Gill have both been added following breakout seasons.
But pole vaulter Holly Bradshaw, Olympic bronze medallist in Tokyo, and distance runner Eilish McColgan are among the athletes who have missed out.
Who will receive UKA funding?
Olympic Podium (21):
Amber Anning, Dina Asher-Smith, Georgia Bell, Max Burgin, Emile Cairess, Molly Caudery, Jacob Fincham-Dukes, Keely Hodgkinson, Matthew Hudson-Smith, Zharnel Hughes, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Josh Kerr, Morgan Lake, Laura Muir, Daryll Neita, Ben Pattison, Jemma Reekie, Jazmin Sawyers, Cindy Sember, Katie Snowden, Jake Wightman.
Olympic Podium Potential (11):
Melissa Courtney-Bryant, Charlie Dobson, Neil Gourley, Naomi Metzger, George Mills, Jade O’Dowda, Tade Ojora, Aimee Pratt, Anna Purchase, Marc Scott, Jessica Warner-Judd.
Olympic Relays (22):
Eugene Amo-Dadzie, Jeremiah Azu, Joe Brier, Lewis Davey, Jona Efoloko, Toby Harries, Alex Haydock-Wilson, Desiree Henry, Louie Hinchliffe, Amy Hunt, Hannah Kelly, Imani-Lara Lansiquot, Rio Mitcham, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, Laviai Nielsen, Lina Nielsen, Victoria Ohuruogu, Asha Philip, Ama Pipi, Sam Reardon, Bianca Williams, Nicole Yeargin.
Olympic Confirmation (10):
Alastair Chalmers, Phoebe Gill, Romell Glave, Megan Keith, Mahamed Mahamed, Jake Norris, Charlotte Payne, Calli Hauger-Thackery, Revee Walcott-Nolan, Joshua Zeller.
Olympic Relay Confirmation (1):
Yemi Mary John
