Marathon hat-trick! Three top Scots are picked for Olympics in Japan

Thursday 1st April 2021

Steph Davis, Callum Hawkins and Steph Twell are all set for Japan (photo montage by Sue Gyford with images from Mark Shearman, Bobby Gavin)

British Athletics website announcement via British Olympic Association

Three Scottish athletes have been selected to represent GB and NI in the marathon at the Olympics in Japan this summer.

Callum Hawkins was pre-selected at the end of 2019 and has confirmed his form and fitness with two runs over three days last weekend in London and East Lothian.

Steph Davis, the Clapham Chasers athlete who started out at VP-Glasgow and Edinburgh Uni Hare and Hounds, secured her place with victory in the women’s trial race at Kew Gardens last Friday.

And Steph Twell, like Callum our Scottish Record holder for the distance, was today added as one of two further discretionary selections by the British Olympic Association as GB and NI named three men and three women in total.

Everyone at scottishathletics sends our warm congratulations to these athletes and their families and coaches.

Here’s the full selection (with their coaches and clubs):

Stephanie Davis (Phillip Kissi; Clapham Chasers)

Jess Piasecki (Robert Hawkins; Stockport)

Steph Twell (Aldershot Farnham & District)

Ben Connor (Derby)

Callum Hawkins (Robert Hawkins; Kilbarchan)

Chris Thompson (Alan Storey; Aldershot Farnham & District)

Selected 20km race walk athlete:

Tom Bosworth (Andi Drake; Tonbridge)

Steph Twell is going to her 3rd Olympics and says it's the sweetest selection yet. Exclusive interview following today's Team GB news. https://t.co/rQ663ttMl3

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) April 1, 2021

It really is fantastic news for marathon running in Scotland and means Scottish athletes comprise 50 percent of the marathon team for the second Olympics in a row (Callum, Derek Hawkins and Tsegai Tewelde were all picked for Rio in 2016).

The selections also reflect well on a focus on improving the marathon standards here when scottishathletics set-up the Marathon Project – led by Robert Hawkins – back in the summer of 2019.

Robert also coaches Jess Piasecki, who has joined Steph Davis and Steph Twell in the women’s selection.

WANT TO READ MORE?

Marathon Project launched (July 2019)

Trio for Rio – three men picked for 2016 Olympic marathon

Olympics-bound! Callum pre-selected for Japan

Steph’s journey: from Scottish Unis XC to Olympics