Jake Wightman (Edinburgh AC, Steve Hartigan) will captain the 94 strong Novuna Great Britain and Northern Ireland (GB & NI) team for the 2026 European Athletics Championships, marking the first time the championships have been held in the UK.
Last year, Wightman won silver in the 1500m at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, and won the World title back 2022. The same year he claimed silver at the European Championships in Munich.
On being named as captain of the team he said: “It is a big honour to be selected as captain, especially for a home championship and for a team of this size. I think the main thing I am looking forward to is the fact we have a home advantage.
“We’re competing in a stadium where we have all competed so many times, in front of our friends and family.
Touching on what he would like to instil into the team from his speech he said; “If we could choose anywhere to compete, it would be this stadium. It’s mainly about going out, having fun and having our biggest supporters there watching.
“I hope it is going to be a great championships for Britain and I hope everyone in the stadium, and those watching at home on the BBC, can really get behind us.”
The European Championship action gets underway on Monday 10 August, with reigning European champions Dina Asher-Smith (Blackheath & Bromley, Michael J Ford) and Keely Hodgkinson (Leigh Harriers & AC, Trevor Painter) set to defend their 100m and 800m titles respectively.
Also looking to retain their crowns will be the women’s 4x100m relay team.
Several medallists from the 2024 European Championships in Rome will also return. Romell Glave (Croydon Harriers, Michael Afilaka) is back in the men’s 100m after claiming bronze, while Charlie Dobson (Colchester Harriers AC, Leon Baptiste) will look to return to the podium after winning silver in the men’s 400m.
Daryll Neita (Cambridge Harriers, Lance Braumann) compete in the 100,, she took silver in the women’s 200m, while Megan Keith (Inverness Harriers AAC, Ross Cairns) will compete following her bronze medal-winning performance in the women’s 10,000m in Rome.
The championships will also mark the return of hometown hero and British record holder Matthew Hudson-Smith (Birchfield Harriers, Gary Evans) to Alexander Stadium. The Olympic silver and seven-time European medallist will contest the 400m in front of a home crowd and the newly named Matthew Hudson-Smith Stand. British record holder and 2025 World Indoor Champion Amber Anning (Brighton & Hove AC, Chris Johnson) will be lining up in the women’s 400m.
In the field events, Jazmin Sawyers (City of Stoke AC, Aston Moore) will compete in the long jump after recently winning the Commonwealth title in Glasgow. Scott Lincoln (City of York AC, Dale Stevenson) returns in the shot put after claiming Commonwealth bronze and fellow thrower and British Champion Jake Norris (Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow AC, Nick Ridgeon) the hammer throw. British record holder Morgan Lake (Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow AC, Yannick Tregaro) will contest the high jump.
Fourteen Novuna GB & NI athletes will be making their senior international debut at these home championships. Including 2026 British champions Marcia Sey (Blackheath & Bromley, Lorna Boothe) in the 100m hurdles, Kristian Imroth (Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, Stephen Murphy) in the 3000m steeplechase, Samuel Bennett (Basildon AC, Steven Surety) in the 110m Hurdles, Arlo Ludwick (Herne Hill Harriers, Norman Poole) in the men’s 1500m , Benjamin East (Team Kennet Triathlon & AC, John Trower) in the Javelin and Stephen Mackenzie (Edinburgh AC) in the long jump.
Nethaneel Mitchell Blake (200m) and Lawrence Okoye (discus) have withdrawn alongside Ellis Cross (marathon), Issy Boffey (800m) and Sam Reardon (relay) from the European Athletics Championships due to injury.
We wish them well in their recovery. Seamus Derbyshire (City of Stoke, Alex O’Gorman) will join the 4x400m relay team.
The Novuna Great Britain and Northern Ireland team for the European Championships in Birmingham 10-16 August:
Women
100m
Dina Asher-Smith (Blackheath & Bromley, Michael J Ford)
Amy Hunt (Marco Ariale)
Imani-Lara Lansiquot (Marco Ariale)
Daryll Neita (Cambridge Harriers, Lance Braumann)
200m
Dina Asher-Smith (Blackheath & Bromley, Michael J Ford)
Success Eduan (Sale Harriers Manchester, Anita Richardson)
Amy Hunt (Marco Ariale)
400m
Amber Anning (Brighton & Hove AC, Chris Johnson)
Charlotte Henrich (Invicta East Kent, Nigel Stickings)
Yemi Mary John (Woodford Green with Essex Ladies, Alan James)
800m
Keely Hodgkinson (Leigh Harriers & AC, Trevor Painter)
Jemma Reekie (Kilbarchan AAC, John Bigg)
Erin Wallace (Giffnock North AC, Trevor Painter)
1500m
Georgia Hunter Bell (Belgrave Harriers, Trevor Painter)
Laura Muir (Dundee Hawkhill, Laura Weightman)
Katie Snowden (Herne Hill Harriers, Stephen Haas)
5000m
Innes FitzGerald (Exeter, Gavin Pavey)
Hannah Nuttall (Charnwood AC, Helen Clitheroe)
India Weir (Thames Valley Harriers, Andrew Hobdell)
10,000m
Izzy Fry (Newbury AC, Sonia McGeorge)
Megan Keith (Inverness Harriers AAC, Ross Cairns)
Poppy Tank (City of Plymouth, Luke Gunn)
3000m Steeplechase
Stevie Lawrence-Wrist (Croydon Harriers, Mike Woods)*
Elise Thorner (Wells City Harriers, Helen Clitheroe)
Sarah Tait (Lasswade AC, Linda Smith)
100m Hurdles
Emma Nwofor (Thames Valley Harriers, Linford Christie)
Marcia Sey (Blackheath & Bromley, Lorna Boothe)*
400m Hurdles
Emily Newnham (Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, Nick Dakin)
Lina Nielsen (Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, Jack Green)
High Jump
Morgan Lake (Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow AC, Yannick Tregaro)
Long Jump
Lucy Hadaway (City of York AC, Matt Barton)
Molly Palmer (Thames Valley Harriers, Lukasz Zawila)
Jazmin Sawyers (City of Stoke AC, Aston Moore)
Pole Vault
Gemma Tutton (Lewes AC, Eric Duffy/Scott Simpson)
Shot Put
Serena Vincent (City of Portsmouth AC, Mike Winch)
Discus Throw
Zara Obamakinwa (Blackheath & Bromley Harriers AC, Mark Chapman)
Hammer Throw
Charlotte Payne (Newbury AC, Ian Payne)
Javelin
Freya Jones (Harrow AC, David Callaway)
Heptathlon
Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Liverpool Harriers & AC, Aston Moore)
Jade O’Dowda (Newham & Essex Beagles AC, John Lane)
Marathon
Abbie Donnelly (Lincoln Wellington AC, Rob Lewis)
Natasha Wilson (Micky Morris Racing Team, Rob Hawkins)
Rose Harvey (Clapham Chasers)
Clara Evans-Graham (Pontypridd Roadents AC, Chris Jones)
Louise Small (Aldershot, Farnham And District Athletic Club)
Relay
4×100
Mabel Akande (Lincoln Wellington, Denise Timmins)
Kristal Ama-Awuah (Herne Hill Harriers, Lance Braumann)
Aleeya Sibbons (Newnham & Essex Beagles, Colin Bovell)
4×400
Laviai Nielsen (Enfield & Harringey, Michael J Ford)
Nicole Yeargin (Pitreavie, Gregory Scholars)
All relays will include athletes in the individual events
Men
100m
Jeremiah Azu (Cardiff Athletics, Helen James)
Romell Glave (Croydon Harriers, Michael Afilaka)
Louie Hinchcliffe (City of Sheffield and Dearne AC, Carl Lewis)
200m
Zharnel Hughes (Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, Glen Mills)
Ebuka Nwokeji (Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, Clarence Callender) *
400m
Charlie Dobson (Colchester Harriers AC, Leon Baptiste)
Matthew Hudson-Smith (Birchfield Harriers, Gary Evans)
Ben Jefferies (Bristol and West AC)
800m
Max Burgin (Halifax Harriers, Ian Burgin)
Alex Botterill (City of York AC, Steve Cram)*
Ben Pattison (Basingstoke & Mid Hants, Dave Ragan)
1500m
Jake Heyward (Cardiff Athletics)
Arlo Ludwick (Herne Hill Harriers, Norman Poole)*
Jake Wightman (Edinburgh AC, Steve Hartigan)
5000m
James West (Tonbridge AC, Helen Clitheroe)
10,000m
Scott Beattie (Morpeth Harriers & AC, Andrew Hobdell)
Joe Wigfield (Wirral AC, Craig Winrow)
David Mullarkey (Leeds City Athletic Club, Andrew Henderson)
3000m Steeplechase
Will Battershill (Bristol and West AC, Luke Gunn)
Kristian Imroth (Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, Stephen Murphy)*
Zak Seddon (Bracknell AC)
110m Hurdles
Samuel Bennett (Basildon AC, Steven Surety) *
Tade Ojora (Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow AC, Joanna Hayes)
400m Hurdles
Alastair Chalmers (Guernsey AC, Matt Elias)
Josh Faulds (Rugby & Northampton AC, James Wright)
Jake Minshull (Coventry Godiva Harriers, James Wright)
High Jump
Joel Clarke-Khan (Thames Valley Harriers, Deirdre Elmhirst)
Kimani Jack (Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers, Ryan Bailey)
Long Jump
Stephen Mackenzie (Edinburgh AC)*
Archie Yeo (Thames Valley Harriers, Matt Barton)*
Pole Vault
Owen Heard (Harrow AC, Kate Rooney)
Shot Put
Scott Lincoln (City of York AC, Dale Stevenson)
Hammer Throw
Jake Norris (Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow AC, Nick Ridgeon)
Javelin
Benjamin East (Team Kennet Triathlon & AC, John Trower) *
Marathon
Jonny Mellor (Liverpool Harriers AC, Steve Vernon)
Mahamed Mahamed (Southampton AC, Idris Hamud)
Weynay Ghebresilasie (Shettleston Harriers)*
Tewelde Menges (Medway and Maidstone AC) *
Marathon Walk
Cameron Corbishley (Medway and Maidstone, Andi Drake)
Relay
4×100
Elliot Jones (Leon Baptiste)
Nicholas Walsh (Sale Harriers Manchester, Tony Walsh)*
4×400
Toby Harries (Brighton Phoenix, David Sadkin)
Sam Lunt (James Wright)
Seamus Derbyshire (City of Stoke, Alex O’Gorman)
Malique Smith Band (Florida University)*
Brodie Young (Airdrie Harriers, James McMenemy)
All relays will include athletes in the individual events
Those with * will be making their senior international debut
