42 athletes have been offered membership to join the British Athletics Paralympic World Class Programme (WCP) for 2021/22.

The WCP is UK Sport’s National Lottery funded initiative supporting the delivery of success at named milestone targets, namely outdoor track World and European championships, and the Paralympic Games. The WCP is split into several levels reflecting the actual and potential performance levels of athletes: Podium, Podium Potential and Confirmation.

Paralympic T20 400m bronze medallist, Columba Blango, is offered Podium membership for the first time, while Tokyo champion in the T20 1500, Owen Miller moves up to the same level from Podium Potential.

A new Confirmation level has been added to the World Class Programme. The Athlete Performance Awards (APAs) with this level are designed to support athletes in their first 1-2 years of inclusion on the World Class Programme, to provide a period through which the potential of the athlete is explored and confirmed.

Four athletes join the World Class Programme for the first time at this level. Tokyo debutants Fabienne André, Luke Nuttall, Daniel Sidbury and Melanie Woods all progress from the British Athletics Paralympic Futures Academy.

As per previous years, the nomination of athlete performance awards (APA) for athletes is subject to UK Sport ratification and a signed athlete agreement between the athlete and UKA.

The Paralympic Futures Academy Programme will be announced in due course.

Para Athletics Head Coach, Paula Dunn, said,

“Following a successful Tokyo Paralympic Games, the Programme is in a strong position, and we have a number of athletes tracking in a strong direction to Paris and Los Angeles. I wish all the athlete and coach pairings the best in their development through the next cycle.

“With the addition of the Confirmation level, we have brought in four new faces to the WCP. All of the athletes showed their potential during 2021, so we will see how the Programme can add support and value as the athlete and coach pairings to continue their development.

“My thanks as ever go to UK Sport and the National Lottery for their continued support of the World Class Programme which allows our athletes and coaches the opportunity to thrive on the biggest stage of all. And also, a thank you to the coaches, clubs, family, friends and support networks who are essential for the individuals on the Programme to succeed in the right way.”

The British Athletics Paralympic Futures Academy Athletes:

Paralympic Podium (24):

Kare Adenegan

Hollie Arnold

Columba Blango

Olivia Breen

Jonathan Broom-Edwards

Richard Chiassaro

Hannah Cockroft

Aled Davies

David Devine

Kyron Duke

Sabrina Fortune

Dan Greaves

Sophie Hahn

Harri Jenkins

Sammi Kinghorn

Maria Lyle

Owen Miller

Jonnie Peacock

Dan Pembroke

Derek Rae

Andrew Small

Vanessa Wallace

Richard Whitehead

Thomas Young

Paralympic Podium Potential (12):

Ola Abidogun

Martina Barber

Lydia Church

Nathan Maguire

Anna Nicholson

Zac Shaw

Zak Skinner

Ali Smith

JohnBoy Smith

Hannah Taunton

Harrison Walsh

David Weir

Paralympic Confirmation (6):

Fabienne André

Karim Chan

Dillon Labrooy

Luke Nuttall

Daniel Sidbury

Melanie Woods