Martin Duff previews the World Masters Championships in France

The world’s best masters athletes will be in action in France from August 4-16 as the World Masters Championships takes place in Lyon.

Among the British athletes competing will be Anthony Whiteman, who won three world M40 indoor titles last year. Now, aged 43, he will contest the middle-distance double in France after posting 1:48.81 and three other sub 1:50 times over 800m this year.

Whiteman will also hope to better his 2015 1500m best of 3:53.22 after clocking 3:44.28 last year.

Also in the near 600-strong British Masters contingent will be Angela Copson, who recently broke the W65 mile record, in four events from 1500m to 10,000m. She will be challenged by Ros Tabor in the shorter races, while also in distance action will be W50 Clare Elms and David Heath who goes in the IAAF M50 invitation 800m in Beijing after running 1:58.90 and 3:58.26 for 800m and 1500m this year.

The British sprint squad looks good and M45s Darren Scott and Jason Carty resume hostilities after each taking a British title recently. Up the age groups, W55 Averil McClelland and W60 Caroline Powell, who missed the British Masters Championships, are in medal form. M60 and well-known sports psychiatrist Steve Peters also makes the trip after three golds in Birmingham.

In the field, Eleanor Gatrell will be looking for W35 throws medals, particularly in the pentathlon, where M50 Steve Whyte also specialises.

The pole vault sees Irie Hill seeking to raise her own W45 mark, while Mark Johnson hopes to consolidate in his new M50 class by improving the 4.40m he cleared just over a week ago.

In the walks, Ian Richards should not disappoint in the M65s where a clutch of golds should come his way, as M50 Francisco Reis and the W55 pair of Cath Duhig and Ann Wheeler should also win medals.

Brits are not usually the strongest in the 10,000m races but new M40 Kojo Kyereme can expect to do well as will M50s Ben Reynolds and Guy Bracken, while W55 Clare Donald and W75 Pam Jones will also figure.

Over the hurdles Joe Appiah is hoping for an M45 110m record.

See www.lyon2015.com

The post Masters athletes looking to lead in Lyon appeared first on Athletics Weekly.