British Athletics have accepted an IAAF invite for Jazmin Sawyers to compete in the long jump at the IAAF World Championships Doha 2019 while Imani-Lara Lansiquot is now selected to compete individually in the 100m.

Sawyers – who made her World Championship debut in London in 2017 – will get the chance to pull on the British vest at the global gathering for the second time after receiving an IAAF invite in the women’s long jump.

Meanwhile Lansiquot, who reached the European 100m final on her senior individual GB & NI debut last summer and also won 4x100m relay gold, has been added to the event as a result of the British Athletics team being granted a fourth qualifying spot.

The extra selection follows as a result of Dina Asher-Smith’s (Blackheath & Bromley; John Blackie) IAAF Diamond League title victory in the 100m last week. Diamond League winners receive a wildcard entry to the World Championships in Doha, and therefore British Athletics can select a fourth athlete.

Lansiquot’s addition is significant with GB & NI never before having fielded four athletes in the women’s 100m at a World Championships while Sawyers’ invite for the women’s long jump increases the size of the British team for Doha to 73.

British Athletics have confirmed that the Gateshead International Stadium will play host to the Müller Grand Prix in 2020, 2021 and 2024.

The renewed partnership means world class athletics will be returning to the North East in what has become a passionate host to the sport of athletics over the years.

Gateshead hosted international grands prix between 2003 and 2010, and is also the only venue to have held the European Athletics Team Championships three times (1989, 2000, and most recently in 2013).

Major Events Director for British Athletics, Cherry Alexander OBE is thrilled to be taking top level competition back to the north east and the athletics loving fans: “It’s brilliant to be returning to Gateshead. We know how passionate their spectators are and how much they appreciate and respect the heritage of the sport,” said Alexander.

“Gateshead International Stadium has proved time and time again it’s a fantastic venue to host world class athletics and international championships and we love working with them. We’re thrilled Gateshead Council recognises the benefits of hosting major sports events as it has proven with its longstanding support of the Great North Run and Junior Great North Run.

“The whole area is geared up for sport and activity and so we know the athletes will be in for a really warm welcome.”

Gateshead Council Leader, Councillor Martin Gannon said: “Hosting world-class athletics events will showcase Gateshead to an international audience helping realise our ambitious plans for growth and regeneration in the next few years. Gateshead has a proud history of staging major sporting events with athletics at its heart, so we welcome the opportunity to once again work with British Athletics.

“Events of this scale provide local people with inspiring opportunities to see top athletes perform up close, as well as being able to get involved in the event through volunteering. It will also bring a welcome boost to the local economy as well as encouraging participation in supporting activities aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of our local communities.”

Having been cast aside by the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations), two-time Olympic 800m gold medallist Caster Semenya has joined JVW, a women’s football team South Africa.

With the 28-year-old unable to compete without taking testosterone-reducing drugs following a rule change by the athletics' governing body, meant that she couldn’t defend her 800m World Championship title in Doha – despite the fact that she is fighting the rule change through the courts.

Now training with the Gauteng-based women's football club, the three-time world champion, who announced in July that she would not be defending her 800m world title, cannot start playing for JVW until the 2020 season, having joined outside the country’s transfer window.

The 28-year-old Olympics legend said: “I am looking forward to this new journey and am really appreciating the love and support from my new teammates”.

Formed in 2013 by current South Africa Women's captain, Janine van Wyk, she said: "Caster is on a break at the moment which is why she has time on her hands to do something different.

"In training you can see football is there, in her, but we still need to work on her a bit because it's very different to athletics”.

van Wyk did, however, state: "She's made it really clear to me that she's not giving up running at all.

"It's amazing for the football club. The recognition women's football in South Africa will get is massive.

"To have her play in the league over here is incredible and I think young girls and her team-mates will draw a lot of inspiration from Caster."

Semenya is not the first athlete to switch to football - after retiring in 2017, Usain Bolt trained with Norwegian club Stromsgodset and Australian side Central Coast Mariners, but did not secure a contract. She is also following in the footsteps of her former coach Maria Mutola, who also turned to football after athletics.

The IAAF introduced its rule change because it argues female athletes with differences of sexual development (DSD) - such as Semenya - have "a competitive advantage".

British Athletics have confirmed that Harry Aikines-Aryeetey replaced CJ Ujah in the men’s 4x100m relay squad for the IAAF World Championships Doha 2019.

Aikines-Aryeetey, who anchored the British quartet to the European title in Berlin last summer, has been called up for Doha after fellow continental champion and world 4x100m relay gold medallist from London 2017 Ujah was forced to withdraw with a back injury.

Captain of the British team for the European Team Championships in Bydgoszcz last month, Aikines-Aryeetey was part of the 2009 World Championship bronze-medal winning 4x100m relay quartet and will make his fifth appearance at a global gathering and 29th for GB&NI since his debut at the World Youth Championships in 2005, where he won double gold.

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Aston Villa midfielder Aaron Tshibola has suggested he has left the club to continue his career in Belgium, based on a post on his personal Instagram account.

He said: ‘Let’s play some football ⚽️ happy for this new chapter in ?? can’t wait to start playing again, hungry than ever. Thank you father lord for your blessings & guidance in my life I am truly humbled and grateful I put you first.?? Thank you @avfcofficial and all the fans for your support and opportunity to play for this great club. Thank you @gt_11one’.

The player has never really made the grade at Villa Park, and as they have risen back through the divisions, the likelihood of him making it through to their first-team on a regular basis faded further.

Tshibola signed for Villa in 2016, shortly after they were relegated from the Premier League, but once Steve Bruce took over the Birmingham based side he fell out of favour, and never really became a part of the furniture again.

The Villa man left to attempt to revive his career last season, joining Scottish Premiership side Kilmarnock, where he played a key role in leading them into the European places in the division, but as Steve Clarke departed for the national job, there was no return for the DR Congo international.

With Villa bringing in a whole host of midfielders over the last few transfer windows, it was clear that there would be no future for the 24-year-old now that they are back in the top flight, so leaving was going to be the only option.

The club is yet to make an official announcement about the departure of the London born player, which is strange considering that the transfer deadline for European clubs closed on Monday, but it would appear as though the midfielder has signed for Waasland Beveren in Belgium, where he will ply his trade in the top flight.

The Reading academy graduate thanked Villa in his statement on social media, and also declared how much he was looking forward to playing regularly again, and getting what was once a highly-rated career back on track, after a couple of years at Villa Park where it stalled.