World Athletics Championships 2017: Eilidh Doyle named GB captain

Doyle helped GB to bronze in the 4x400m at the 2016 Olympics

Eilidh Doyle has been voted British team captain for next month's World Athletics Championships in London.

The Scottish 400m hurdler won a ballot of the GB squad, beating defending world champions Mo Farah and Greg Rutherford to the role.

"I was completely shocked when I found out but it's really special," 30-year-old Doyle told BBC Radio 5 live.

"It means so much more because my team-mates have chosen me. I was so honoured."

The World Championships take place from 4 to 13 August and a 78-strong team will be representing Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Doyle was part of the 4x400m GB team who claimed bronze at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

She also represented Britain at the London 2012 Games and Scotland at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

"I have been fortunate enough that I have been at a home Olympic Games and a home Commonwealth Games," added Doyle.

"I will just try to draw on those experiences of what it meant and how we performed at those championships and use that to, hopefully, get the team fired up for London.

"Even just watching the World Para-athletics Championships, you can see what that stadium and atmosphere does - I don't think we will need too much motivation to go out there and perform well."

How was the captain decided?

All the members of the squad voted for who they wanted as team captain - previously someone was selected by the performance director.

The decision to change the method of selection was made in order to "give the athletes empowerment".

"It will also bring the whole team closer together, because it is something they have all decided upon and had a say in," said Neil Black, UK Athletics performance director.

"It will give the captain a stronger voice and strengthen the post. It shows that the management and coaches have a deep-rooted trust in the athletes."

Who's in the squad?

The initial squad was named on 11 July and will be finalised on Tuesday.

Four-time Olympic champion Farah is aiming to defend the 5,000m and 10,000m titles.

The 34-year-old has not been beaten over either distance at a major championships since 2011.

Laura Muir, who recovered from a stress fracture in her foot earlier this year, is also looking to achieve double success on the track in London having qualified for the 1500m and 5,000m.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson has been selected for both the heptathlon and high jump and heads into the championships in good form. The 24-year-old broke her heptathlon personal best in Gotzis in May and holds the British record in the high jump.

World long jump champion Rutherford, who won Olympic gold at London Stadium in 2012, is in the squad despite currently recovering from an ankle ligament injury.

The squad in full

Men

100m: James Dasaolu, Reece Prescod, CJ Ujah

200m: Zharnel Hughes, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, Danny Talbot

400m: Dwayne Cowan, Matt Hudson-Smith, Martyn Rooney

800m: Elliot Giles, Kyle Langford, Guy Learmonth

1500m: Josh Kerr, Chris O'Hare, Jake Wightman

5,000m: Andrew Butchart, Mo Farah

10,000m: Mo Farah

3,000m steeplechase: Rob Mullett, Zak Seddon

110m hurdles: David King, David Omoregie, Andrew Pozzi

400m hurdles: Jack Green

High jump: Robbie Grabarz

Long jump: Greg Rutherford

Triple jump: Nathan Fox

Hammer: Nick Miller

Decathlon: Ashley Bryant

20km race walk: Tom Bosworth, Callum Wilkinson

50km race walk: Dominic King

Marathon: Andrew Davies, Callum Hawkins, Josh Griffiths

4x100m: Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Adam Gemili, Zharnel Hughes, Richard Kilty, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, Reece Prescod, Danny Talbot, CJ Ujah

4x400m: Cameron Chalmers, Dwayne Cowan, Jack Green, Matt Hudson-Smith, Martyn Rooney, Delano Williams, Rabah Yousif

Women

100m: Desiree Henry, Daryll Neita, Asha Philip

200m: Dina Asher-Smith, Shannon Hylton, Bianca Williams

400m: Zoey Clark, Emily Diamond, Anyika Onuora

800m: Shelayna Oskan-Clarke, Lynsey Sharp, Adelle Tracey

1500m: Jessica Judd, Sarah McDonald, Laura Muir, Laura Weightman

5,000m: Eilish McColgan, Laura Muir, Steph Twell

10,000m: Jessica Martin, Beth Potter, Charlotte Taylor

3,000m steeplechase: Rosie Clarke

100m hurdles: Tiffany Porter

400m hurdles: Eilidh Doyle

High jump: Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Morgan Lake

Pole vault: Holly Bradshaw

Long jump: Lorraine Ugen

Discus: Jade Lally

Hammer: Sophie Hitchon

Heptathlon: Katarina Johnson-Thompson

20km race walk: Gemma Bridge, Bethan Davies

Marathon: Tracy Barlow, Alyson Dixon, Charlotte Purdue

4x100m: Dina Asher-Smith, Desiree Henry, Corinne Humphreys, Shannon Hylton, Daryll Neita, Asha Philip, Bianca Williams

4x400m: Zoey Clark, Emily Diamond, Eilidh Doyle, Laviai Nielsen, Anyika Onuora, Perri Shakes-Drayton