Lugano Results

Following a set of impressive 10 km race walk performances at the Molly Barnett Open Meeting in Coventry on Saturday, England Athletics have named a strong team to compete in the EAA Permit Meeting, in Lugano, Switzerland on 16th March.

Tom Bosworth (Club: Tonbridge AC/Leeds Metropolitan University AC, Coach: Andi Drake) will look to build on moving to within two seconds of the UK 10 km best on Saturday (40:19) and attacking the British Athletics 20 km qualifying time for the European Athletics Championships. He is joined by Jamie Higgins (Club: Leeds City AC, Coach: Andi Drake), making his debut over the distance in his first senior international outing following his 7th place finish in the 2013 European Junior Championships 10000 m in Rieti.

Johanna Atkinson (nee Jackson), (Club: Middlesborough & Cleveland, Coach: Maureen Jackson) made a welcome return in Coventry after sitting out 2013 with a 10 km performance only she has bettered: she will look to reestablish her international 20 km credentials with her sights on Zurich and like most of her team mates the GB&NI Team for the IAAF Race Walking World Cup in May in China (Jo will also want to challenge for the UK no. 1 ranking against Bethan Davies (Club: Cardiff, Coach: Andi Drake) and Heather Lewis (Club: Pembroke, Coach: Martin Bell) who are lining up for Wales).

Cameron Corbishley (Club: Medway & Maidstone, Coach: Chris Hobbs) and Callum Wilkinson (Club: Enfield & Haringey, Coach: Mick Graham) will race the Junior Men's 10 km with Wilkinson making his England debut.

Also earning their first international vests in the Junior Women's 10 km are Jasmine Nicholls (Club: Leicester WC/Leeds Metropolitan University AC, Coach: Andi Drake) and the rapidly improving Emma Achurch (Club: Leicester WC, Coach: Steve Arnold) who join Ellie Dooley (Club: Leeds City AC/Hyde Park Harriers, Coach: Andi Drake) who has targeted the World Junior Championships Team as her goal this season: in 2014 Ellie, Emma and Jasmine have moved to 5th, 12th and 25th on the UK all-time U20 rankings for 10 km.

Team Leader Andi Drake said, "The event group is at its strongest for many years and it is exciting to be taking an England Athletics Team to an event who are all working towards major Championships in the current Olympic cycle."