The road to Tokyo heats up this weekend as Britain’s elite track and field stars converge on Birmingham for the UK Athletics Championships, the final and most crucial qualifying event for the World Athletics Championships in Japan this September.
With Olympic qualification on the line, athletes will be eyeing a top-two finish in their respective events, coupled with a World Athletics entry standard, to secure automatic selection for Team GB. The championships also serve as a litmus test for selectors to assess current form, particularly for those returning from injury.
Olympic Medallists in Action and Some Notable Absentees
Olympic stars Josh Kerr, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, and Georgia Bell are among the high-profile athletes scheduled to compete over the two-day event at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium. All three are already assured of selection thanks to their medal-winning performances last summer, but their presence adds firepower and fanfare to an already stacked meet.
However, Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson is a conspicuous absentee. The 23-year-old has not raced since her gold medal win at Paris 2024 due to a lingering hamstring injury.
Despite holding the World Athletics qualifying mark, her fitness remains under scrutiny as the selection deadline looms on 27 August. Hodgkinson is now racing against time to prove her readiness before the final team announcement.
Matthew Hudson-Smith and George Mills will also sit out the trials, having been granted exemptions due to injury.
For the majority of athletes, the formula for qualification is straightforward: finish in the top two and have a World Athletics entry standard achieved since 1 August 2024. Selection is also possible for those with UKA Consideration Standards or based on results from designated competitions. A maximum of three athletes per event per nation can be selected.
Selectors will also consider an athlete’s performance consistency and overall form throughout the 2025 outdoor season when making their final picks.
Events and Contenders to Watch
The women’s middle-distance races promise fierce competition. With Hodgkinson sidelined, all eyes turn to Georgia Bell, who is entered in both the 800m and 1500m. She’ll have stiff competition in the 800m from Jemma Reekie, while the 1500m lineup includes Olympic silver medallist Laura Muir, Revee Walcott-Nolan, and Katie Snowden.
In the men’s 800m, Max Burgin and Ben Pattison will headline the field, while 1500m specialists Jake Wightman and Neil Gourley will battle for supremacy. World champion Josh Kerr will test his endurance in the 5000m, joined by teenage sensation Innes FitzGerald in the women’s edition of the race.
Sprinters will also command attention, with Dina Asher-Smith leading the charge in the women’s 200m. Daryll Neita and Amy Hunt will double up in both the 100m and 200m, while Jeremiah Azu, Zharnel Hughes, and defending champion Louie Hinchliffe headline the men’s 100m.
Charlie Dobson is tipped to retain his men’s 400m crown in the absence of Hudson-Smith, and Amber Anning enters as the strong favourite in the women’s event following her World Indoor title.
Field events will also see top-tier talent on display. Morgan Lake will look to build on her recent Diamond League high jump victory, while Molly Caudery goes in the pole vault. Multi-eventer Johnson-Thompson will compete in the javelin, shot put, and 100m hurdles as she fine-tunes her form ahead of a bid for a third world title.
As part of the weekend’s showcase, British para athletes will also be in action ahead of their own global showdown in New Delhi. Kare Adenegan, Zachary Shaw, and Sophie Hahn are among the Paralympic hopefuls using Birmingham as a tune-up for the World Para Athletics Championships set for late September.
