British Athletics has announced the 62 athletes who have been offered membership to the Olympic and Paralympic Futures Academy programmes for 2021, which is supported by Nike, the Official Partner of the Futures Academy Programme.
Due to the challenging circumstances brought by the Covid-19 pandemic this year, and the impact this has had on our athletes, British Athletics has retained all athletes from the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Futures Academy Programme for the year ahead.
There are ten additions to Olympic Futures Academy Programme including two athletes who moved up the UK all-time age-group rankings this year; hammer thrower Charlotte Payne and endurance athlete Jake Smith.
Smith lowered the British U23 Half Marathon record in phenomenal style at the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Gdynia, Poland, in October. His time of 60:31 also saw him move to third on the UK all-time list behind Sir Mo Farah and Callum Hawkins.
Payne won silver in the women’s hammer with a mark of 63.92 metres at the Müller British Athletics Championships in Manchester back in September, moving to second in the UK all-time U20 rankings behind Sophie Hitchon.
Other additions to the Programme include; 2020 British 1500m champion (indoors and outdoors), George Mills, Kelechi Aguocha, Piers Copeland, Daniel Falode, Thomas Keen, Khahisa Mhlanga, Joshua Lay and Jodie Smith.
Selections for the Futures Relay Programme will be made next year.
Among those retained on the Programme include British Athletics Indoor Championships 60m champion, Amy Hunt, British 800m champion, Keely Hodgkinson, and Max Burgin, who lowered his 800m PB to 1:44.75 this season.
There are also six additions to the Paralympic Futures Academy Programme including 2019 World Para Athletics Junior Championships T20 400m bronze medallist, Ethan Kirby.
Kirby lowered his 400m to 51.87 during a challenging 2020 season, achieving the time in Yeovil in September.
The other five athletes include Melanie Woods who competed at the Müller British Athletics Championships in the women’s 400m wheelchair race in September, placing third overall. Victoria Baskett, Columba Blango, Jade Smith, Kirsty Soutar and Owen Williams complete the new additions to the Programme.
Among those retained include European T38 400m silver medallist, Ross Paterson and World Para Athletics Junior Championships double silver medallist, Kirsty Taylor.
Olympic Futures Academy
Amber Anning **
Jeremiah Azu
Kelechi Aguocha
Sam Bennett
Isabelle Boffey
Shemar Boldizsar
Alex Botterill
Max Burgin
Lewis Byng
Molly Caudery
Alastair Chalmers
Piers Copeland
Charlie Dobson
Oliver Dustin
Jona Efoloko
Daniel Falode
Cameron Fillery
Lucy Hadaway
Keely Hodgkinson
Amy Hunt
Thomas Keen
Joshua Lay
Lucy-Jane Matthews
Khahisa Mhlanga
George Mills
Holly Mills
Jake Norris **
Jade O’Dowda
Dominic Ogbechie
Divine Olapido **
Ben Pattison
Charlotte Payne
Jake Smith
Jodie Smith
James Tomlinson
Serena Vincent
Erin Wallace
Joshua Zeller **
Paralympic Futures Academy:
Fabienne André
Hetti Bartlett
Victoria Baskett
Columba Blango
John Bridge
Lydia Church *
Ed Clifton
James Freeman
Bethan Griffiths
Bulbul Hussain
Ethan Kirby
Owen Miller *
India Oates
Emmanuel Oyinbo-Coker
Ross Paterson
Jade Smith
Kirsty Soutar
Steven Stone
Danny Sidbury
Kirsty Taylor
Alexander Thomson
Harrison Walsh *
Owen Williams
Melanie Woods
* Athletes marked with an asterisk are on both the Paralympic Futures and World Class Programme.
They can be fast-tracked onto the WCP but are far less experienced in other aspects of sport. It is therefore compulsory for the athletes to go through the Futures Programme for the education and experience to ensure they are better prepared for international competition.
**Athletes marked with a double asterisk are part of the NCAA and will be accessing a reduced programme due to regulations.
The programme will develop relationships with their coaches and provide support when back in the UK in preparation for major championships.
