Brilliant Baddeley to step up
Andy Baddeley has his wish granted as he will be running in longer distances at the European Cup later this month.
Baddeley, following in the footsteps of British all-time mile greats Steve Cram, Steve Ovett and Peter Elliott as he smashed through the the three-minute 50-second barrier for the first time in Norway, has had his wish to race over 3,000m granted.
The 25-year-old, after his unexpected win ahead of a world-class field, believes an outing over the distance will help him build up his strength as he prepares for the fast-approaching Olympic Games in Beijing.
The selectors' decision will allow Tom Lancashire, winner of the 1,500m at the Norwegian venue, to earn his first senior international vest when the Cup takes place at Annecy, France, on June 21-22.
Lancashire, a former European junior silver medallist, showed he is beginning to realise his potential by winning over the metric mile in a personal best of 3min 35.33secs.
World 400m champion Christine Ohuruogu has been chosen in the 200m after running under 23secs in Oslo for the first time. Nicola Sanders, whom Ohuruogu narrowly edged out for the gold medal in Osaka, will run the one-lap event.
Kelly Sotherton, the heptathlon bronze medallist in Japan, has been selected for the 4x400m relay squad having recovered from a kidney infection.
Dave Collins, UK Athletics performance director, said: "In an Olympic year, the European Cup is obviously not top of our priority list, but it is still an important competition.
"We have selected the strongest team available to us and I expect many of our athletes to use this opportunity as part of their build-up towards Beijing.
"There were several difficult decisions to make during the selection process and that is a reflection of some of the depth of quality now emerging in some events."
Team
Men:
100m: Tyrone Edgar (Newham & Essex); 200m: Marlon Devonish (Coventry Godiva); 400m: Martyn Rooney (Croydon); 800m: Michael Rimmer (Liverpool, Pembroke & Sefton Harriers); 1,500m: Tom Lancashire (Bolton Harriers); 3,000m: Andy Baddeley (Harrow AC); 5,000m: Mo Farah (Newham & Essex); 3,000m steeplechase: Andrew Lemoncello (Fife AC); 110m H: Andy Turner (Sale Harriers Manchester); 400m H: Dale Garland (Channel Islands AC); High Jump: Samson Oni (Belgrave Harriers); Pole Vault: Steve Lewis (Newham & Essex); Long Jump: Chris Tomlinson (Newham & Essex); Triple Jump: Phillips Idowu (Belgrave Harriers); Shot: Mark Edwards (Birchfield Harriers); Discus: Emeka Udechuku (Woodford Green & Essex Ladies); Hammer: Mike Floyd (Sale Harriers Manchester); Javelin: Michael Allen (Trafford AC); 4x100m: Harry Aikines-Aryeety (Sutton & District), Marlon Devonish, Edgar, Rikki Fifton (Victoria Park & Tower Hamlets), Christian Malcolm (Cardiff AAC), Craig Pickering (Marshall Milton Keynes); 4x400m: Tim Benjamin (Cardiff AAC), Richard Buck (City of York), Rooney, Andrew Steele (Trafford AC), Rob Tobin (Basingstoke & Mid Hants), Conrad Williams (Kent AC).
Women:
100m: Emma Ania (Shaftesbury Barnet); 200m: Christine Ohuruogu (Newham & Essex); 400m: Nicola Sanders (Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow); 800m: Jenny Meadows (Wigan & District Harriers); 1,500m: Susan Scott (City of Glasgow). 3,000m: Helen Clitheroe (Preston Harriers); 5000m: Jo Pavey (Exeter Harriers); 3000m sc: Barbara Parker (City of Norwich); 100m H: Sarah Claxton (Woodford Green & Essex Ladies); 400m H: Tasha Danvers (Shaftesbury Barnet); High Jump: Susan Moncrieff (Trafford AC); Pole Vault: Louise Butterworth (Birchfield Harriers); Long Jump: Jade Johnson (Herne Hill); Triple Jump: Noni Mordi (Shaftesbury Barnet); Shot: Rebecca Peake (Sale Harriers Manchester); Discus: Philippa Roles (Swansea Harriers); Javelin: Goldie Sayers (Belgrave Harriers); Hammer: Zoe Derham (Birchfield Harriers): 4x100m: Ania, Montell Douglas (Blackheath & Bromley), Emily Freeman (Wakefield Harriers), Jeanette Kwayke (Woodford Green & Essex Ladies) Anyika Onuora (Liverpool Harriers), Kadi-Ann Thomas (Marshall Milton Keynes AC);
4x400m: Vicki Barr (Rugby & Northampton), Lee McConnell (Shaftesbury Barnet), Meadows, Ohuruogu, Marilyn Okoro (Shaftesbury Barnet), Kelly Sotherton (Birchfield Harriers).