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British Athletics World Class Programme announced

British Athletics has announced that 114 athletes have been offered membership to its World Class Programme (WCP) for 2018-2019.

British Athletics World Class Programme logo

The British Athletics WCP is UK Sport’s National Lottery-funded initiative to support the delivery of success at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Membership onto the WCP for 2018-2019 is based upon an athletes’ potential to win a medal at Tokyo 2020 or Paris 2024.

There are three levels of membership of the WCP, split into five sections, and for 2018-2019 the breakdown is as follows: Olympic Podium (14), Paralympic Podium (30), Olympic Podium Potential (27), Paralympic Podium Potential (17) and Olympic Relays (26).

At Paralympic Podium, David Devine (Tony Clarke; Liverpool Harriers) is rewarded for his European title while there are five additions at Paralympic Podium Potential all of whom medalled in Berlin, including champions Harri Jenkins (Anthony Hughes; DSW Academy) and Thomas Young (Joe McDonnell; Charnwood).

British Athletics Performance Director Neil Black said:

“The past 12 months have been filled with vital competitions as we head towards Tokyo 2020 and a whole host of athletes have risen to the challenge and demonstrated their quality when it matters most. The 114 athletes being offered membership onto the World Class Programme for 2018-19 reflects the great amount of strength we possess building towards Tokyo 2020 and beyond that towards Paris 2024.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the National Lottery and UK Sport for their continued investment in the World Class Programme. Their support is essential in helping our athletes to be the best prepared they can be for the biggest competitions, which in 2019 is the IAAF and World Para Athletics Championships, and then the Olympic and Paralympic Games the following year.”

British Athletics Paralympic Head Coach Paula Dunn said: 

“Once again I’m delighted that we are offering membership of World Class Programme to such a strong cohort of athletes. After a successful World Para Athletics European Championships and Commonwealth Games in 2018, we have been able to add six high-quality athletes to the Programme who have achieved excellent progress throughout the year. We have a depth of strength throughout the Programme which sets us up for not only the World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai in 2019 and the Paralympic Games in Tokyo in 2020, but the next cycle as we head towards Paris 2024.”

British Athletics invests the UK Sport grant on elite coaching, provision of world class training facilities, medical and sports science services, warm weather training camps and major championships team travel to ensure its athletes perform to the highest achievable standards. Athletes will also receive targeted financial assistance from UK Sport through the World Class Programme’s Athlete Personal Award (APA).

For the full list of 114 athletes who have been offered WCP membership please visit the British Athletics website. 

Photo credit: British Athletics