Jo Pavey and Christine Ohuruogo named in Team GB athletics squad for Rio Olympics
By Matthew Treadwell
Last Updated: 13/07/16 11:02pm
Jo Pavey and Christine Ohuruogo have been named in the 80-strong Team GB squad for the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
Pavey, 42, will become the first British female track athlete to compete in five Olympic Games after being confirmed for the 10,000m having achieved the qualifying 'A' standard at the European Championships in Amsterdam.
Ohuruogo - Olympic 400m champion in 2008 and silver-medallist four years later - was expected to be named in the 4x400m relay squad but will also take part in the individual event.
Jessica Ennis-Hill (heptathlon), Mo Farah (5,000 and 10,000m) and Greg Rutherford (long jump) will be back to defend the titles they won in London and Team GB Chef de Mission Mark England says expectation is high.
"Track and field is one of the showpiece sports of an Olympic Games and in these 80 athletes we have a team full of the ability, pedigree and experience to match the spectacle," he said.
"With well over 300 athletes now selected and just over three weeks to go until the start of the Games, Team GB, with an estimated 360 athletes in total, is shaping up to be the most talented team we've ever taken to an Olympic Games."
Athletics Team Leader Neil Black said: "I'm very excited by this group of athletes and what I think we can achieve in Rio.
"There's a real blend of experience and exciting new talent, with the likes of Olympic gold medallists Mo, Jess, Greg and Christine, selected alongside those becoming Olympians for the first time, like Dina Asher-Smith, Chris Baker, Jazmin Sawyers and Elliot Giles.
"This is the best prepared and arguably strongest team we have ever selected. We believe the world class level of performances this group can achieve will see us challenging for a number of places on the podium."
Ennis-Hill is looking forward to the opportunity to defend her title in Rio and said: "Everything's coming together now and I'm feeling good.
"Training over the past few weeks has been going really well and it's been good to be back in the competitive environment recently. There's still some time left before Rio to put some work in as well.
"London was an incredible experience and the two journeys to London and Rio have been completely different, which I've really enjoyed. If I was able to defend my title in Rio it will certainly be one of my greatest achievements."
