Mo Farah stays on UK Athletics funding list ahead of full-time marathon switch
By Andy Charles
Last Updated: 10/11/17 10:46am
Mo Farah has maintained Olympic Podium funding for 2017-18 as he makes the switch to road running after a glittering track career.
The four-time Olympic Games gold medallist and six-time world champion brought down the curtain on his track career at the end of the summer, one which saw him narrowly denied a triple-double of World Championship 5,000 and 10,000m titles.
But British Athletics has retained Farah on its list of Olympic Podium athletes, which numbers 15 and also includes Dina Asher-Smith, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Laura Muir and Greg Rutherford.
British Athletics performance director Neil Black said: "It will be Mo's first year committing to performances on the road, and he is still exploring options of how this will progress.
"There is the possibility that he could represent the British team at a major championship over the marathon distance in the future, so we will monitor this first year and continue to support him in his ambitions."
The World Class Programme, UK Sport's National Lottery funded initiative, includes a total of 112 athletes across: Olympic Podium, Paralympic Podium, Olympic Podium Potential, Paralympic Podium Potential and Olympic Relay categories.
Among those named are sprinters Nigel Levine and James Ellington, who are on the recovery trail after suffering serious injuries in a motorbike crash in Tenerife last January and will receive Olympic Relay funding.
Black added: "Nigel's recovery from that accident is at an advanced stage in terms of his ability to compete again. As such we are able to retain him on the WCPP in his capacity as a relay athlete.
"Whilst James won't be funded by the WCPP in 2018, in co-operation with UK Sport, British Athletics will maintain the support package and APA to him at the same levels with a series of pre-agreed quarterly progress targets in place whilst we oversee his continued rehabilitation following the injuries he sustained last year."
Olympic Podium (15): Dina Asher-Smith, Holly Bradshaw, Mo Farah, Adam Gemili, Robbie Grabarz, Callum Hawkins, Sophie Hitchon, Zharnel Hughes, Katarina Johnson-Thompson, Nick Miller, Laura Muir, Cindy Ofili, Greg Rutherford, Lynsey Sharp, Lorraine Ugen.
Paralympic Podium (31): Kare Adenegan, Hollie Arnold, Paul Blake, Olivia Breen, Jonathan Broom-Edwards. Mickey Bushell, Jo Butterfield, Richard Chiassaro, Libby Clegg - Chris Clarke (Guide Runner), Hannah Cockroft, Kadeena Cox, Aled Davies, Kyron Duke, Sabrina Fortune, Toby Gold, Dan Greaves, Sophie Hahn, David Henson, Georgie Hermitage, Jordan Howe, Sophie Kamlish, Sammi Kinghorn, Maria Lyle, Stephen Miller, Jonnie Peacock, Gemma Prescott, Stef Reid, Andrew Small, Isaac Towers, Richard Whitehead.
Olympic Podium Potential (23): Tom Bosworth, Andrew Butchart, Taylor Campbell, Rosie Clarke, Niamh Emerson, Tom Gale, Charlie Grice, Elliot Giles, Dewi Griffiths, Adam Hague, David King, Morgan Lake, Kyle Langford, Eilish McColgan, Sarah McDonald, Andrew Pozzi, David Omoregie, Shelayna Oskan-Clarke, Jazmin Sawyers, Katie Snowden, Adelle Tracey, Jake Wightman, Callum Wilkinson.
Paralympic Podium Potential (18): Martina Barber, Craig Boardman, Dan Bramall, Shaun Burrows, Kylie Grimes, Mo Jomni, Rhys Jones, Nathan Maguire, Polly Maton, Stephen Morris, Derek Rae. Ben Rowlings. Zac Shaw, Luke Sinnott, Zak Skinner, Laura Sugar, Vanessa Wallace, Eve Walsh-Dann.
Olympic Relays (25): Finette Agyapong, Seren Bundy-Davies, Cameron Chalmers, Zoey Clark, Dwayne Cowan, Emily Diamond, Eilidh Doyle, Ojie Edoburun, Miguel Francis, Desiree Henry, Matt Hudson Smith, Richard Kilty, Imani Lansiquot, Nigel Levine, Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, Ashleigh Nelson, Laviai Nielsen, Daryll Neita, Asha Philip, Reece Prescod, Martyn Rooney, Danny Talbot, Chijindu Ujah, Delano Williams, Rabah Yousif.
