14 Scots land places on WCP funding programme

Saturday 11th November 2017

Eilidh Doyle and Zoey Clark – World Champs 4 x400m silver medallists are on Relay programme for 2018

British Athletics has announced that 112 athletes have been offered membership to the World Class Programme (WCP) for 2017/2018 – including 14 Scottish athletes.

The World Class Programme (WCP) is UK Sport’s National Lottery funded initiative to support the delivery of success at the world’s most significant sporting events. Specifically, during the Tokyo cycle, the aim is to win medals at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Therefore, British Athletics must be confident in demonstrating that any athlete offered membership of the WCP is a realistic potential 2020 or 2024 Olympic medallist in either individual or relay events or a realistic potential 2020 or 2024 Paralympic medallist.

All at scottishathletics congratulates the athletes being funded and their coaches and families on reaching this level. We also firmly acknowledge the clubs who have helped develop these athletes – at whatever stage – to be categorised in this way.

The breakdown in number of athletes who have been offered membership of WCP – athletes can use their discretion should they not wish to accept membership to the WCP – on the various levels are as follows: Olympic Podium (15), Paralympic Podium (31), Olympic Podium Potential (23), Paralympic Podium Potential (18) and Olympic Relays (25).

After a fourth place finish in the marathon at the IAAF World Championships, Callum Hawkins (Robert Hawkins) is promoted to Olympic Podium level for 2017 / 18, as is Nick Miller (Tore Gustafsson), who placed sixth in the hammer final during the same championships this summer.

There are seven Para athletes who have moved up to Paralympic Podium funding including World Para Athletics Championships gold medallists Olivia Breen (Aston Moore), Sophie Kamlish (Rob Ellchuk) and Sammi Kinghorn (Ian Mirfin) who continue to progress through the pathway.

Eilish McColgan was added to the programme during last year following an appeal and the other Scot coming on this time is World Champs relay silver medallist, Zoey Clark (Eddie McKenna).

Hammer thrower Chris Bennett and 400m runner Kirsten McAslan have dropped off the programme, with 14 Scots announced this time last year from a list of 118 WCP athletes.

FUNDED SCOTS ON GB PROGRAMMES:

Podium:

Olympic: Callum Hawkins (Robert Hawkins); Laura Muir (Andy Young); Lynsey Sharp (Terrence Mahon)

Paralympic: Jo Butterfield (Phil Peat/Shona Malcolm), Libby Clegg (guide runner, Chris Clarke; Joe McDonnell), Sammi Kinghorn (Ian Mirfin) Maria Lyle (Jamie Bowie), Stef Reid (Aston Moore)

Podium Potential:

Andy Butchart (Terrence Mahon), Eilish McColgan (Nuttall), Jake Wightman (Geoff Wightman)

Paralympic: Derek Rae (Ron Morrison)

Relay Squads:

Olympic: 4 x 400m Zoey Clark (Eddie McKenna), Eilidh Doyle (Malcolm Arnold)