Young Scots head to England Athletics U20/U23 Champs

Thursday 17th June 2021

Sprinters Alyson Bell and Brodie Young are expected to compete this weekend at the England Athletics U20/U23 Champs (photos by Bobby Gavin)

Entries list via England Athletics website

Young Scottish athletes will head south this weekend to the England Athletics U20/U23 Champs – with GB and NI selections on their mind as well as podium places.

The European U20s and the European U23s are coming up next month and performances this weekend will help finalise selection decisions by British Athletics.

As things stand, more than half a dozen Scots have achieved the qualifying standards and are very much in the mix for places. Not all are competing this weekend in Bedford, however, with a different selection route for the 3000m and 5000m.

England Athletics medals are up for grabs, too, and Scottish athletes have made a strong impact on this event in recent years.

Covid-19 led to a cancellation in 2020 and there were fears over travel restrictions around Bedford for this weekend.

Thankfully, scottishathletics were involved in a number of key level discussions and, with the support of the Scottish Government and Scottish institute of sport, all issues have been resolved – although there will be several protocols.

We are expecting around 40 Scottish athletes to compete judging by entry lists and the likes of sprinters Brodie Young of Airdrie and Alyson Bell of Giffnock North, both of whom won GB U20 vests at Loughborough, will be looking to clinch places for the Europeans in Estonia.

That event is on July 15-18 in Tallinn with the Estonian city also having stepped in at the last minute to host the European U23s a week earlier on July 8-11 (after Bergen in Norway was ruled out because of Covid-19).

Here’s the pre-event advice from England Athletics:

*All registered attendees will be notified in advance of the strict Covid-19 procedures and protocols which will be in place at the event.

*Everyone attending the Championships will be required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 lateral flow test on arrival at the stadium.

*Entry will not be permitted unless the individual has proof of their negative test.

*We will allow one support individual per athlete into the stadium and that person must have pre-registered through the link that will be sent to all entered athletes.

*For athletes aged under-18, two support individuals are permitted per athlete and must also follow the above procedures regards pre-registration and Covid-19 protocols.

Tremendous Scottish horizontal jumps talent heading to Bedford for Euro Junior trials this weekend. All the best to all Scottish athletes, but especially jumpers @hjtclarkson @Alschenini @bera_aj and youngsters Kate (TJ) and Molly (LJ)! (Bobby Gavin pics) pic.twitter.com/sbjGI0m6SM

— Linda Nicholson (@NicholsonLinda) June 17, 2021