Tokyo Olympics: Laura Muir picked for 800m-1500m double

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Laura MuirImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Muir was beaten by teenager Keely Hodgkinson and training partner Jemma Reekie in the British Championship 800m final on Sunday

Laura Muir will attempt the 800m and 1500m double in Tokyo after being selected for both events in the British Olympic team.

Muir, 28, has finished in the top five in the last three world 1500m finals without getting a medal and is 13th fastest in the world over 800m in 2021.

"To be going to another Olympics, hopefully in two events, is quite hard," she said.

"Looking at times and rankings I think I'm capable of making that 800m final."

Dina Asher-Smith, who finished fifth in the 200m in Rio aged 20, returns to the event in Tokyo as the world champion. Asher-Smith will also contest a hotly-anticipated 100m against a raft of in-form international rivals.

Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Johnson-Thompson overcame reigning Olympic champion Nafi Thiam to win gold in Doha in 2019

Heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson is included in the 72-strong squad "subject to fitness" with the world champion and one of Britain's principal medal hopes struggling with an Achilles tendon injury.

The 28-year-old hopes to demonstrate her fitness by competing in July, just a few weeks before the start of the heptathlon in Tokyo on 4 August.

Elsewhere, Zharnel Hughes, a possible 200m threat, is picked only in the 100m. Reece Prescod, who finished fifth in 10.33 seconds in the trials as he continued his comeback from a hamstring tear, is also picked in the 100m alongside British champion CJ Ujah.

Scotland's Eilish McColgan will also double up, running the 5,000m and 10,000m, however Jodie Williams, who qualified for both the 200m and 400m, has opted to focus only on the longer distance.

Daniel Rowden, Andrew Pozzi and Jessie Knight, who finished third and out of the automatic selection spots in the 800m, 110m hurdles and 400m hurdles respectively at the British Championships, have also done enough to convince the selectors of their form.

Lawrence Okoye, who threw discus at the London 2012 before a seven-year stint in American football, was one of those to earn his place in the trials over the weekend.

"Every athlete and their support network should be incredibly proud of their achievement during a challenging last 18 months," said head coach Christian Malcolm.

"My message to those athletes nominated is enjoy this moment and keep your focus in these last few weeks as we count down to the Games."

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British team for Tokyo Olympics

Women

100m: Dina Asher-Smith, Daryll Neita, Asha Philip

200m: Beth Dobbin, Dina Asher-Smith

400m: Ama Pipi, Jodie Williams, Nicole Yeargin

800m: Keely Hodgkinson, Jemma Reekie, Laura Muir

1500m: Laura Muir, Katie Snowden

5,000m: Jessica Judd, Amy-Eloise Markovc, Eilish McColgan

10,000m: Eilish McColgan, Jessica Judd

Marathon: Stephanie Davis, Jessica Piasecki, Steph Twell

3000m steeplechase: Elizabeth Bird, Aimee Pratt

100m hurdles: Tiffany Porter, Cindy Sember

400m hurdles: Jessica Turner, Meghan Beesley, Jessie Knight

High jump: Morgan Lake

Pole vault: Holly Bradshaw

Long jump: Jazmin Sawyers, Abigail Irozuru, Lorraine Ugen

Shot: Sophie McKinna

Heptathlon: Katarina Johnson-Thompson - subject to fitness

4x100m Relay: Dina Asher-Smith, Beth Dobbin, Imani-Lara Lansiquot, Daryll Neita, Ashleigh Nelson, Asha Philip

4x400m Relay: Zoey Clark, Emily Diamond, Jessie Knight, Laviai Nielsen, Ama Pipi, Jessica Turner, Hannah Williams, Jodie Williams, Nicole Yeargin

Men

100m: CJ Ujah, Zharnel Hughes, Reece Prescod

200m: Adam Gemili,

800m: Elliot Giles, Oliver Dustin,Daniel Rowden

1500m: Josh Kerr, Jake Wightman, Jake Heyward

5,000m: Marc Scott, Andrew Butchart

10,000m: Marc Scott, Sam Atkin

Marathon: Ben Connor, Callum Hawkins, Chris Thompson

20km Race Walk Tom Bosworth, Callum Wilkinson

3000m Steeplechase: Phil Norman, Zak Seddon

110m hurdles: Andrew Pozzi

High Jump: Tom Gale

Pole Vault: Harry Coppell

Triple Jump: Ben Williams

Shot Put: Scott Lincoln

Discus: Lawrence Okoye

Hammer: Taylor Campbell, Nick Miller

Men's 4x100m Relay: Adam Gemili, Zharnel Hughes, Richard Kilty, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, Reece Prescod, CJ Ujah

Men's 4x400m Relay: Niclas Baker, Cameron Chalmers, Matthew Hudson-Smith, Michael Ohioze, Lee Thompson

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