British Athletics has today confirmed that a team of 12 will represent the country at the IAU 24 Hour World Championships in Albi, France – with each athlete covering between 210-275 kilometres – over the weekend of 26-27 October 2019.

2016 IAU European 24-Hour Champion Dan Lawson (coach: Allison Benton, club: Unattached) leads a senior men’s team balanced between experienced internationals and those making their debut in a British vest. Lawson has a personal best of 261.483 kilometres, and with his previous success at the major championship, he will be an integral part of the British contingent in France.

Steve Holyoak (Road Runners Club) and James Stewart (Paul Giblin, Victoria Park City of Glasgow) were part of the European silver medal-winning team in 2018, both contributing to the overall distance covered by the top three scorers. Oman-based Holyoak has been part of British 24-hour squads since 2012, while Stewart was the second British scorer last year, so both have plenty of experience to bring to the whole team.

Alongside this trio will be three athletes making their debuts in the men’s team; Grant MacDonald (Giblin, Garscube), Paul Maskell (St Austell) and Michael Stocks (Norman Wilson, London Heathside).

Tracy Dean (Wilson, City of Stoke), Wendy Whearity [née Shaw] (Reading Joggers) and Ali Young (Bryan Smith, Chiltern) – all of whom were part of the European bronze medal winning team from 2018 – are once again in the British fold in a six-strong women’s squad.

With only those athletes finishing the women’s race in 2018 after injury and illness impacted upon the other squad members, the trio produced a special performance to claim a podium place and will be seeking to replicate their fine displays at the world edition later this year.

They are joined by Jess Baker (Andy Dubois, Road Runners Club), who holds the biggest personal best within the women’s team at 238.713km, so she will be one to watch in France.

Sam Amend (Wilson, Belgrave) and Sarah Morwood (James Elson, Bere Alston) complete the team who will head out to Albi.

John Pares, the Team Leader, commented:

“We’ve been working on developing a strong squad over the past few performance cycles and that shows with one of the highest levels of applications we’ve ever seen. The standard across the board was excellent and we’re really pleased with the teams we have selected for Albi 2019.”

The British Athletics team for the IAU 24 Hour World Championships in Albi, France on 26-27 October 2019:

Senior Women:

Sam Amend (Norman Wilson, Belgrave)

Jess Baker (Andy Dubois, Road Runners Club)

Tracy Dean (Norman Wilson, City of Stoke)

Sarah Morwood (James Elson, Bere Alston)

Wendy Whearity [née Shaw] (Reading Joggers)

Ali Young (Bryan Smith, Chiltern)

Senior Men:

Steve Holyoak (Road Runners Club)

Dan Lawson (Allison Benton, Unattached)

Grant MacDonald (Paul Giblin, Garscube)

Paul Maskell (St Austell)

James Stewart (Paul Giblin, Victoria Park City of Glasgow)

Michael Stocks (Norman Wilson, London Heathside)