British Athletics has confirmed the athletes who will – and won’t – receive National Lottery funding over the next 12 months via its Olympic World Class Programme (WCP).
The WCP operates at four levels:
Podium – supports athletes with realistic medal-winning capabilities at the next Olympic Games
Podium Potential – support for those whose performances suggest that they have realistic medal-winning capabilities at the subsequent Olympic Games.
Olympic Relays – supports athletes deemed to have the potential to deliver relay medals at future Olympic Games.
Confirmation – a new level added this year for up-and-coming athletes.
The investment supports athletes through coaching, training, competition support, medical, technology and scientific services and through access to world-class sporting facilities.
Funding is also delivered via the Athlete Performance Awards (APAs), whereby UK Sport contribute towards athletes’ living and sporting costs, with the amount the athlete receives dependent upon their Programme level.
Household names on the top-tier list include Dina Asher-Smith, Laura Muir, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Adam Gemili and Callum Hawkins, but does not include Sir Mo Farah, who failed to make the 10,000m qualifying time for the Toyko Olympics.
It does, however, include 19-year-old Keely Hodgkinson, who will be receiving top-tier funding for the first time. Hodgkinson won 800m silver in Tokyo and set a new British record.
The second-tier list includes Charlotte Purdue, who, despite controversially missing out on selection for the Toyko Olympics, was fastest British woman home at the London Marathon this year. It also includes Eilish McColgan who recently became the British female 10-mile record holder, taking the title from Paula Radcliffe at the Great South Run.
However, her team-mate Jess Judd, who competed alongside McColgan at her first Olympics in Tokyo – and made the 10,000m final – has unfortunately missed out on Lottery funding. Voicing her disappointment on Twitter, she said:
After a season beset by illness and injury which resulted in a disappointing Olympic campaign, Tom Bosworth has also not made the cut. In a Twitter statement he said: ‘I’m so disappointed to be removed for the programme after a season hampered by injury. The loss of financial and medical support will be huge. I want to thank those who’ve helped and supported me since 2015! We’re so lucky to have the WCP, so congratulations to all selected!’
There will also be no funding for any male 400m runners, but British Athletics says athletes will be supported.
On the selection, British Athletics’ Performance Director Sara Symington said:
‘As we start the Paris cycle, and longer-term Los Angeles 2028, we made a number of informed decisions in regard to the World Class Programme membership that aligns with our strategic priorities. We will work closely with the 67 athlete and coach pairings that we are offering membership to and will look to add support and value in their journey via their individual athlete plan (IAP).
‘The selection process is robust and lengthy, and we use a lot of data which is complemented by the knowledge of our event leads to inform the decision-making process. We have given careful consideration to those athletes who meet the selection criteria and performance matrix which align to the future ambitions of the World Class Programme.’
