Neil to captain GB and NI at World Indoors and Nicole picked

Tuesday 18th March 2025

Scotland’s Neil Gourley has been named captain of the GB and NI team for the World Indoors in Nanjing, China.

It’s a fantastic honour for the Giffnock North AC athlete who won Men’s 1500m gold at the British Indoors last month.

Gourley, who opens his championship campaign on Friday evening (local) will address his team-mates with the traditional captain’s speech at the final team meeting.

Neil has been wearing the GB and NI vest since 2015 when he won the European U23 1500m bronze. He won the European Indoor silver in 2023 over the same distance and just last month he broke the British men’s indoor 1000m record in Birmingham.

In what can certainly be regarded as one of GB’s most competitive disciplines (men’s 1500), where athletes need to be the best in the world just to make the team, he has represented Britain across all senior major championships a dozen times since 2019.

Many congratulations to Neil, his family, coach Stephen Haas and all at Giffnock North AC.

‘I was worried at first because I got a missed call and text from Tommy (Yule) this weekend,’ said Neil.

‘The message said ‘give me a call back as soon as you can’ and immediately I was worried thinking ‘what haven’t I done in preparation for China am I in trouble?’

‘Thankfully it was nice news being nominated as Captain and I feel really honoured. I am taking it as a compliment and really glad they have confidence in me in that respect.

‘“I hope I can bring a supportive atmosphere to the team, I think being a smaller team we are all invested in what each other is doing at these championships so I hope I can inspire that environment at the very least and lead by example.

‘The level is so high to even be here at the Worlds, so I wouldn’t claim to have all this wisdom I can impart to my team-mates but I do think there is such a great level of mutual respect across all of us in the events we do and that respect for each other really comes through. Hopefully we will have a great Championships.’

The GB and NI team now comprises 11 athletes following the withdrawal of two athletes in the last few days. Both George Mills and Innes FitzGerald have unfortunately suffered illness since Apeldoorn and were unable to travel.

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Photo: Getty Images for British Athletics

British Athletics website team announcement

Double Olympic relay medallist Nicole Yeargin has been named in the GB and NI team for the World Athletics Relays, Guangzhou, China (10-11 May).

With the start of a new Olympic cycle heading towards LA 2028, UK Athletics have has selected squads across all relay events with the overall objective of qualifying for the World Championships in Tokyo later this year.

This competition also allows developing athletes to integrate with Senior squads and gain valuable experience in a global senior competition with a view to maintaining the form that saw the programme win medals in every relay event at the Olympics, GB & NI being the only nation to achieve a clean sweep.

Nicole is named in the Women’s 4x400m list with the Mixed Relay selections to be drawn from those athletes and the pool for the Men’s 4x400m.

Congratulations to Pitreavie AAC athlete Nicole, her coach Vince Anderson and her family on another GB and NI selection.

Tags: China, Nanjing, Neil Gourley, Nicole Yeargin