Sprint battles and fitness fights – what to watch for at the UK Championships (2024)

You are in:
>
Generic
>
Sport

Reporter:

Staff Reporter

28 Jun 2024 2:54 PM

The UK Athletics Championships take place in Manchester this weekend and with places at the Paris Olympics at stake, a number of events will be keenly contested.

Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the names and events to watch.

Sprint battles

To be eligible for Team GB, athletes – in most cases – must secure a top-two finish in Manchester and achieve World Athletics’ qualification standard. The sprint races will be of particular interest. Sheffield athlete Louie Hinchcliffe has been one of the breakout stars of 2024 and has already clocked 9.95 seconds in the men’s 100 metres, comfortably inside the qualification mark of 10.0. Yet Jeremiah Azu and Reece Prescod have also achieved the standard and will be fierce competition. There is also an exciting head-to-head in store in the women’s 200m between Olympic medal hopefuls Dina Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita, who also runs in the 100m.

Needs to deliver

Tokyo silver medallist Laura Muir is the one to beat in the women’s 1,500m but she faces stiff competition from last year’s winner Katie Snowden, Melissa Courtney-Bryant, Georgia Bell and Revee Walcott-Nolan, who all have the qualifying standard.

Battles in the 800m

Two of the most eagerly-anticipated contests are in the 800m. The men’s event will feature Josh Kerr who, already assured of a place in Paris in the 1,500m by virtue of his World Championships gold last year, is testing himself over the shorter distance. This adds spice to what already could have been a close contest between Elliot Giles, Ben Pattison, Daniel Rowden and Max Burgin. There is no Keely Hodgkinson in the women’s 800m as she, for similar reasons to Kerr, contests the 400m. That could leave the stage clear for Jemma Reekie and exciting 17-year-old prospect Phoebe Gill.

Fitness issues

Heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson will be testing her form and fitness after being forced to pull out of the recent European Championships through injury. The two-time world champion has entered the high jump, 200m and javelin. Zharnel Hughes, Britain’s fastest man over 100m, and 2022 World Championship 1,500m gold medallist Jake Wightman are both absent having been granted medical exemptions due to hamstring and calf injuries respectively.

Field events

Johnson-Thompson aside, there should be plenty more interest in the field events. World indoor champion Molly Caudery will be favourite in the women’s pole vault but Tokyo bronze medallist Holly Bradshaw remains a threat. Scott Lincoln enters the men’s shot put fresh from his fourth place at the European Championships.

Others to watch

There will be a number of other names worth following including US-based Amber Anning in the women’s 400m and Matthew Hudson-Smith, a men’s 400m medal prospect, in the 200m.

ADVERTIsem*nT - CONTINUE READING BELOW

'); $(".sommario_articolo").detach().appendTo($(".summary_container").first()); } // // Move Outbrain if before Next button // if($(".banner_content_ad_in_article_desktop").offset().top < $(".vc_story_telling_link").offset().top ) { // // Move Outbrain to after Next button. // $(".banner_content_ad_in_article_desktop").detach().appendTo($(".vc_story_telling_link").parent()); // } // Move Next button to be under first slideshow image. $(".vc_story_telling_link").detach().appendTo($(".vc_story_telling img:nth-of-type(1)").first().parent()); // Make slideshow image click to next page. $(".vc_story_telling img:nth-of-type(1)").on('click', function(){ $(".vc_story_telling_link").click() } ); function moveAdOutOfDiv(adSelector, adName, divSelector, divName){ // Move adSelector that have been placed in the divSelector (e.g. related articles, twitter feeds), if($(divSelector + " " + adSelector).length>0){ console.log("Moving Ad " + adSelector + " (" + adName + ") ad out of div " + divSelector + " (" + divName + ")."); var divSelectorElement = $(divSelector + " " + adSelector).parents(divSelector); $(divSelector + " " + adSelector).detach().appendTo(divSelectorElement.next("p")); } } function moveAdOutOfDivs(adSelector, adName){ moveAdOutOfDiv(adSelector, adName, ".vc_shortcode_article_preview", "Recommended Article Preview"); moveAdOutOfDiv(adSelector, adName, ".twitter", "Twitter Feed"); moveAdOutOfDiv(adSelector, adName, ".author_email", "By Line"); }function moveAd(adSelector, adName, targetContentParagraph){ var pCount=0; var pIndex=0; var contentParagraphs = 0; var targetPindex = 0; var contentMinHeight = 10; var contentMinLength = 1; if($(".testo_articolo").children("p").length > 0){ pIndex=0; while($(".testo_articolo").children("p").eq(pIndex).length){ if($(".testo_articolo").children("p").eq(pIndex).height()>=contentMinHeight){ if($(".testo_articolo").children("p").eq(pIndex).text().length>contentMinLength){if($(".testo_articolo").children("p").eq(pIndex).children("img").length) {// Do nothing} else { console.log("moveAd: p " + pIndex + " height=" + $(".testo_articolo").children("p").eq(pIndex).height()+ " width=" + $(".testo_articolo").children("p").eq(pIndex).text().length++);contentParagraphs++;if(contentParagraphs==targetContentParagraph){ targetPindex=pIndex;}} } } pIndex++; } pCount = pIndex; } console.log("moveAd: Total Paragraphs: " + pCount + ". Paragraphs With Content: " + contentParagraphs + ". targetPindex: " + targetPindex + ". targetContentParagraph:" + targetContentParagraph + "."); if($(adSelector).length){ if(contentParagraphs>targetContentParagraph){ console.log("moveAd: Moving Ad " + adSelector + " (" + adName + ") to paragraph " + targetContentParagraph + " of " + contentParagraphs + " (targetPindex=" + targetPindex +", pCount=" + pCount + ")."); $(adSelector).detach().appendTo($(".testo_articolo").children("p").eq(targetPindex)); } else { console.log("moveAd: Cannot move Ad " + adSelector + " (" + adName + ") to paragraph " + targetContentParagraph + " of " + contentParagraphs + " (targetPindex=" + targetPindex +", pCount=" + pCount + ") => Removing Ad."); $(adSelector).remove(); } } else { console.log("moveAd: Ad " + adSelector + " (" + adName + ") does not exist."); } moveAdOutOfDivs(adSelector, adName); } function moveAd_bk(adSelector, adName, targetContentParagraph){ var pCount=0; var pIndex=0; var contentParagraphs = 0; var targetPindex = 0; var contentMinHeight = 10; var contentMinLength = 1; if($(".testo_articolo p").length){ pIndex=0; while($(".testo_articolo p").eq(pIndex).length){ if($(".testo_articolo p").eq(pIndex).height()>=contentMinHeight){ if($(".testo_articolo p").eq(pIndex).text().length>contentMinLength){ console.log("moveAd: p " + pIndex + " height=" + $(".testo_articolo p").eq(pIndex).height()+ " width=" + $(".testo_articolo p").eq(pIndex).text().length); contentParagraphs++; if(contentParagraphs==targetContentParagraph){ targetPindex=pIndex; } } } pIndex++; } pCount = pIndex; } console.log("moveAd: Total Paragraphs: " + pCount + ". Paragraphs With Content: " + contentParagraphs + ". targetPindex: " + targetPindex + ". targetContentParagraph:" + targetContentParagraph + "."); if($(adSelector).length){ if(contentParagraphs>targetContentParagraph){ console.log("moveAd: Moving Ad " + adSelector + " (" + adName + ") to paragraph " + targetContentParagraph + " of " + contentParagraphs + " (targetPindex=" + targetPindex +", pCount=" + pCount + ")."); $(adSelector).detach().appendTo($(".testo_articolo p").eq(targetPindex)); } else { console.log("moveAd: Cannot move Ad " + adSelector + " (" + adName + ") to paragraph " + targetContentParagraph + " of " + contentParagraphs + " (targetPindex=" + targetPindex +", pCount=" + pCount + ") => Removing Ad."); $(adSelector).remove(); } } else { console.log("moveAd: Ad " + adSelector + " (" + adName + ") does not exist."); } moveAdOutOfDivs(adSelector, adName); } function styleRelatedArticle(){ if($(".vc_shortcode_article_preview a")){ var link = $(".vc_shortcode_article_preview a").attr("href"); $(".vc_shortcode_article_preview").attr("href", link); $(".vc_shortcode_article_preview").append('

TAP TO READ MORE

'); var logoUrl = $(".logo a img").attr("src"); $(".vc_shortcode_article_preview .vc_cont .vc_title").prepend('

'); // Increase resolution of image if($(".vc_shortcode_article_preview img.vc_image").length){ var imageUrl = $(".vc_shortcode_article_preview img.vc_image").attr("src"); imageUrl = imageUrl.replace(/resizer\/150\/-1\//g, 'resizer\/300\/-1\/'); //$(".vc_shortcode_article_preview img.vc_image").attr("src", imageUrl); } } } function moveAds(){ console.log("moveAds: Replace all br tags to p."); $(".testo_articolo").html("

" + $(".testo_articolo").html().replace(/
/g, '

') + "

"); // ** NOTE: Mobile uses "content_ad_in_article_mobile"; Desktop uses "content_ad_in_article_desktop". ** moveAd("#mpu_1_in_article","mpu_1_in_article",1); moveAd("#content_ad_in_article_desktop", "Outbrain In Article", 4); moveAd(".teads_ad", "Teads", 7); moveAd("#mpu_2_in_article","mpu_2_in_article",10); moveAd("#mpu_3_in_article","mpu_3_in_article",13); moveAd(".teads_ad2", "Teads", 16); moveAd("#mpu_4_in_article","mpu_4_in_article",19); moveAd("#mpu_5_in_article","mpu_5_in_article",22); moveAd("#mpu_6_in_article","mpu_6_in_article",25); moveAd("#mpu_7_in_article","mpu_7_in_article",28); moveAd("#mpu_8_in_article","mpu_8_in_article",31); if(localStorage.getItem("debug")=="1"){ $(".banner_banner_unruly_2x1_1").css("border", "dashed 2px #55ffff"); $(".banner_banner_unruly_2x1_1").prepend('

Teads Ad

'); $("head").append('

'); } } function fixDesktopAudio(){ // 2022-05-27: ACHAM: Fix Flash issue. const mp3File = $(".vc_flowplayer").attr("href"); if(mp3File){ if(mp3File.slice(-4)===".mp3"){ console.log("Fixing Desktop Audio (vc_flowplayer using Flash so change it to audio)"); $("a.vc_flowplayer").html(''); } } } $(function(){ // Move ads to end of article for polling, story telling, quiz and sponsored articles. // 2022-05-22: ACHAM: If sponsored article, also remove Teads and Seedtag ads. var docKeywords = ""; if(document.querySelector("meta[name='Keywords']")){ docKeywords = document.querySelector("meta[name='Keywords']").getAttribute("content").toLowerCase(); } console.log("Article keywords:" + docKeywords); if(docKeywords.includes("sponsor")) { console.log("Article keywords contain sponsor => Moving Outbrain to end of article."); $("#mpu_1_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); $("#content_ad_in_article_desktop").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); $("#mpu_2_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_3_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_4_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_5_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_6_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_7_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_8_in_article").remove(); $(".teads_ad").remove(); $(".teads_ad2").remove(); //$("#mpu_2_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); //$("#mpu_3_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); //$("#mpu_4_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); //$("#mpu_5_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); //$("#mpu_6_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); //$("#mpu_7_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); //$("#mpu_8_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); console.log("Article keywords contain sponsor => Remove Teads ads. (banner_banner_unruly_2x1_1)"); $(".banner_banner_unruly_2x1_1").remove(); $(".banner_banner_unruly_2x1_2").remove(); console.log("Article keywords contain sponsor => Remove Teads ads. (teads-inread)"); $(".teads-inread").remove(); setTimeout(function(){ console.log("Article keywords contain sponsor => Remove Teads ads after 5 seconds. (teads-inread)"); $(".teads-inread").remove(); }, 5000); console.log("Article keywords contain sponsor => Remove seedtag ads."); $("#div-gpt-ad-in-image").remove(); } else if($(".vc_story_telling").length) { console.log("Moving Outbrain to end of article."); $("#story_contact_container").before(''); $("#mpu_1_in_article").detach().insertBefore($(".vc_story_telling_link")); $("#content_ad_in_article_desktop").detach().insertBefore($(".vc_story_telling_link")); $("#mpu_2_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_3_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_4_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_5_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_6_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_7_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_8_in_article").remove(); $(".teads_ad").remove(); $(".teads_ad2").remove(); //$("#mpu_2_in_article").detach().insertBefore($(".vc_story_telling_link")); //$("#mpu_3_in_article").detach().insertBefore($(".vc_story_telling_link")); //$("#mpu_4_in_article").detach().insertBefore($(".vc_story_telling_link")); //$("#mpu_5_in_article").detach().insertBefore($(".vc_story_telling_link")); //$("#mpu_6_in_article").detach().insertBefore($(".vc_story_telling_link")); //$("#mpu_7_in_article").detach().insertBefore($(".vc_story_telling_link")); //$("#mpu_8_in_article").detach().insertBefore($(".vc_story_telling_link")); } else if(($(".container_response").length) ||($('.titolo_articolo:contains("quiz:")').length) ||($('.titolo_articolo:contains("live blog:")').length) ||($('.titolo_articolo:contains("poll")').length) ){ $("#mpu_1_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); $("#content_ad_in_article_desktop").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); $("#mpu_2_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_3_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_4_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_5_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_6_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_7_in_article").remove(); $("#mpu_8_in_article").remove(); $(".teads_ad").remove(); $(".teads_ad2").remove(); //$("#mpu_2_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); //$("#mpu_3_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); //$("#mpu_4_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); //$("#mpu_5_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); //$("#mpu_6_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); //$("#mpu_7_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); //$("#mpu_8_in_article").detach().insertBefore($("#article_end")); } else { moveAds(); styleRelatedArticle(); //fixDesktopAudio(); } if($(".container_response .photo img").length) { console.log("Resize images"); $(".container_response .photo img").each(function(){ var oldSrc = this.src; var newSrc = oldSrc.replace("resizer/120/", "resizer/300/"); console.log("newSrc = " + newSrc); this.src = newSrc; $(this).attr("width", "300"); }); } });

To continue reading this article,
please subscribe and support local journalism!

Subscribing will allow you access to all of our premium content and archived articles.

To continue reading this article for FREE,
please kindly register and/or log in.

Registration is absolutely 100% FREE and will help us personalise your experience on our sites. You can also sign up to our carefully curated newsletter(s) to keep up to date with your latest local news!

'); $(".vc_article_body_new").append($('#paywall_message')); $('#paywall_message').css("display", "block"); $(".testo_articolo").css("overflow", "hidden"); $(".testo_articolo").height(550); $(".vc_article_body_new").css("overflow", "hidden"); $(".vc_article_body_new").height(550); $(function(){ console.log("Moving ads to paywall message."); // Desktop $("#content_ad_in_article_placeholder").detach().appendTo($("#article_end")); // Mobile $("#content_ad_in_article_mobile").detach().appendTo($("#article_end")); $("#mpu_2_container").detach().appendTo($("#article_end")); $("#mpu_2_container").css("margin-top","30px"); }); console.log("Remove unruly/teads ad."); $('.banner_banner_unruly_2x1_1').remove(); } else { if(isArticleBlocked){ console.log("Article is blocked."); $(".vc_article_body_new").append('

'); $(".vc_article_body_new").append($('#paywall_dialog')); $('#paywall_dialog').css("display", "block"); $(".testo_articolo").css("overflow", "hidden"); $(".testo_articolo").height(550); $(".vc_article_body_new").css("overflow", "hidden"); $(".vc_article_body_new").height(550); $(function(){ console.log("Moving ads to paywall dialog."); // Desktop $("#content_ad_in_article_placeholder").detach().appendTo($("#article_end")); // Mobile $("#content_ad_in_article_mobile").detach().appendTo($("#article_end")); $("#mpu_2_container").detach().appendTo($("#article_end")); $("#mpu_2_container").css("margin-top","30px"); }); console.log("Remove unruly/teads ad."); $('.banner_banner_unruly_2x1_1').remove(); } $('.apri_login').click(function(){ $('.user_access_orizzontale').removeClass("paywall_login_box"); $(".apri_login").html("Login"); }); $('#paywall_login_button').click(function(){ // Show login box var speed=300; $('.user_access_orizzontale').toggleClass('aperto'); $('.user_access_orizzontale').slideToggle(speed,function(){ if(!$(".apri_login").hasClass('aperto')){ $('.user_login').show(); $('.user_access_orizzontale .recupera_password').hide(); $("#show_login_button_1").removeClass("collapsed"); $('.user_access_orizzontale').addClass("paywall_login_box"); $(".apri_login").html("Close"); } else { $('.user_access_orizzontale').removeClass("paywall_login_box"); $(".apri_login").html("Login"); } }); // For mobile $(".vc_open_user_login").click() }); // 2022-09-03: ACHAM: For Paywall Login button, show standard login box at top right of screen instead of paywall login box. $('.vc_paywall_login a.dropdown-toggle').removeAttr("href"); $('.vc_paywall_login a.dropdown-toggle').click(function(){ // Show login box var speed=300; $('.user_access_orizzontale').toggleClass('aperto'); $('.user_access_orizzontale').slideToggle(speed,function(){ if(!$(".apri_login").hasClass('aperto')){ $('.user_login').show(); $('.user_access_orizzontale .recupera_password').hide(); $("#show_login_button_1").removeClass("collapsed"); } }); }); $('.vc_paywall_subscription input').click(function(){ //location.href='https://vnpiconic.virtualcom.it/iconic/includes/shop/?testata=digital'; location.href="https://vnpiconic.virtualcom.it/iconic/includes/shop/?testata=digital&domain=www.limerickleader.ie&channelName=limerickleader&channelId=" + virtualcmsPageInfo.channelId + "&originalUrl=" + encodeURIComponent(virtualcmsPageInfo.article.link); }); } } $(function(){ showHidePaywall(); })