Britain’s top track and field athletes will compete this weekend in Birmingham for coveted spots at the World Championships. With selection criteria demanding and competition fierce, the UK Athletics Championships will be the decisive event to shape the British squad for Tokyo this September.
How athletes qualify for Tokyo — and what about Hodgkinson?
The qualification process is clear: athletes must finish in the top two of their event at the UK trials and have achieved the World Athletics entry standard since August 2024. This guarantees them a place in the World Championships squad.
Athletes who medalled at the 2024 Olympics or 2023 World Championships are automatically selected if they have maintained good form during the 2025 outdoor season, as assessed by UK Athletics.
Notably absent is Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson, who has been recovering from a hamstring injury since February. Though she met the entry standard at the Paris Games last summer, she must prove her fitness ahead of the squad announcement on August 27, with a key race scheduled for the Lausanne Diamond League on August 20.
Key athletes and events to watch in Birmingham
With Hodgkinson sidelined, her training partner Georgia Hunter Bell is entered in both the 800m and 1500m, deciding which event to target for Tokyo. Hunter Bell, a bronze medallist in the 1500m at the Olympics, will face strong competition alongside Jemma Reekie in the 800m. The 1500m also features top athletes Laura Muir, Revee Walcott-Nolan, and Katie Snowden.
Men’s middle-distance races promise intense battles between Max Burgin, Ben Pattison, Jake Wightman, and Neil Gourley. World 1500m champion Josh Kerr will race over 5,000m, with teenage star Innes FitzGerald competing in the women’s equivalent.
In the sprint events, Dina Asher-Smith contests the women’s 200m, while Daryll Neita and Amy Hunt double up in the 100m and 200m. The men’s sprints include Jeremiah Azu and Zharnel Hughes, with Louie Hinchliffe aiming to retain his 100m title.
Field events and para-athletics highlights
Field competitions will be fiercely contested, with high jumper Morgan Lake looking to continue her strong form following a Diamond League win in London. Pole vaulter Molly Caudery is also in action.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson will compete in the 100m hurdles, javelin, and shot put as she builds towards a third world title in the multi-events.
Meanwhile, the World Para Athletics Championships take place in New Delhi in late September. British para-athletes Kare Adenegan, Zachary Shaw, and Sophie Hahn are among those expected to perform well, adding to Britain’s medal hopes across all levels of elite competition.
