Olympic bronze medallist Georgia Hunter Bell (club: Belgrave; coach: Trevor Painter) will look to continue her fine form and defend her Microplus UK Athletics Indoor Championships title in the 1500m as Birmingham gets set to welcome a host of star names for the national showcase.

Hunter Bell, victorious in the Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games in New York at the start of the month, narrowly missed out on setting a new British indoor record in the 1500m at the inaugural and revolutionary Keely Klassic last weekend – but she’ll get another go at the Utilita Arena.

Last year’s 1500m title was the first of Hunter Bell’s career, later going on to win Paris bronze, and she’ll be joined in the West Midlands by Neil Gourley (Giffnock North; Stephen Haas) an Lina Nielsen (Shaftesbury Barnet; Tony Lester), who were successful in breaking new British records in the 1000m and 300m respectively at the Keely Klassic.

Gourley will switch to the 1500m this weekend while Nielsen is set for an intriguing tussle in the 400m with Olympic fifth-place finisher Amber Anning (Brighton & Hove) and the lightly raced indoors Victoria Ohuruogu (Newham & Essex Beagles) both in the field. Fellow Olympic fifth, Jacob Fincham-Dukes (Leeds City; Austin Brobst), aims to defend his long jump title.

Olympic relay medallist from last summer in both the mixed and men’s 4x400m Alex Haydock-Wilson (WSEH; Dai Greene) continues his return to indoor competition for the first time in two years in the 400m.

Bianca Williams (Thames Valley; Linford Christie) and Amy Hunt (Charnwood; Marco Airale) – bronze medallists in the 4x100m from Paris – will go head-to-head in the 60m, the former in possession of a qualifying standard for next month’s European Indoor Championships in Apeldoorn but the latter the defending champion.

The event is an opportunity for British athletes to guarantee a trip to the Netherlands and reigning world indoor pole vault champion Molly Caudery (Thames Valley; Scott Simpson) is in pole position after a good start to the season – and one to look out for in the field events having recorded a world lead and Championship record last year.

Like Caudery, Gourley, Hunter Bell, Nielsen, Anning, Fincham-Dukes and Williams have all clocked the European indoor qualifying standard for their events so just need a top-two finish to secure their trips.

European bronze medallist outdoors Romel Glave (Croydon; Michael Afilaka), Eugene Amo-Dadzie (Woodford Green Essex Ladies; Steve Fudge) and John Otugade (Shaftesbury Barnet; Tom McNab) are all also in possession of the standard in the men’s 60m, which places that as one of the most exciting events of the weekend.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Liverpool; Aston Moore) competes for the second time since her Olympic heptathlon silver last summer – in the 60m hurdles and shot. Laura Muir (Dundee Hawkhill; Laura Weightman), a multiple champion at the event, goes in the 3000m.

Start lists as of Friday 21/02/2025 are HERE