Sprinter named captain of the 23-strong Great Britain team for the event in Portland

Asha Philip has been announced as captain of the Great Britain team for the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Portland, USA.

The sprinter will lead the 23-strong team at the event in Oregon from March 17-20.

Philip, who was the first British woman to win a global 100m title when she was crowned world youth champion in 2007, said: “I love representing my country and it s something that never gets old, so to have been selected to be captain of the British Athletics team at the World Indoor Championships is unreal and a massive honour.

“This seems like this might be my year to finally shine,” added the 25-year-old, who clocked 7.10 to win the British 60m title in Sheffield last month and finished fourth at the World Indoors in Sopot in 2014.

“Everything has been going really well so far in 2016, so I hope to come to here (to Portland) and execute my race and perform to the levels I know I can. It would be the perfect way to head into the outdoor season in an Olympic year.”

British Athletics performance director Neil Black said: “Anyone who has followed athletics and Asha will know the passion and enthusiasm she displays when it comes to representing her country,”

“But what many may not know is that for the last year or so Asha has been training in an all-male sprinting group in Loughborough and has proven herself to be one of the leaders in that group, displaying a range of leadership skills we hadn t seen before.

“Asha has a big personality, but it is the steel, focus and drive behind the outward confidence which I want her to bring to the captaincy and that I am sure will inspire the rest of the team. I am delighted she has accepted this role.”

In other GB team news, last week British Athletics defended its decision to not send IAAF-invited athletes Michael Rimmer and Guy Learmonth to Portland.

Like their fellow British athlete Jazmin Sawyers, the two 800m runners received invites from the sport s world governing body to compete at the World Indoors, but while Sawyers spot was accepted, those for Rimmer and Learmonth were not.

Rimmer and Learmonth both voiced their disappointment about the decision and on Saturday triple jumper Nathan Douglas did the same as he revealed that the national governing body had also turned down an invite for him to compete in Portland.

“This has to stop!” wrote Douglas in a statement posted on social media website Twitter. “I have just found out that I was invited to the Portland World Indoor Championships by the IAAF, that invitation was turned down by British Athletics on my behalf without any consultation with me, none at all.

“In this day and age this should not happen. I am not happy with it but I understand they may not want to take an athlete. But, what I find truly disappointing and upsetting is the lack of transparency and no communication channel to the athlete. We should be consulted on decisions involving our career or at the very least informed, not finding out by the grapevine.” The full statement can be read here.

A British Athletics spokesperson said the decisions had been consistent with the selection policy published.

British team for the IAAF World Indoor Championships

MEN

60m: James Dasaolu, Andrew Robertson
1500m: Charlie Grice, Chris O Hare
3000m: Lee Emanuel, Tom Farrell
60m hurdles: Lawrence Clarke
High jump: Chris Baker, Robbie Grabarz
Long jump: Dan Bramble

WOMEN

60m: Dina Asher-Smith, Asha Philip
800m: Lynsey Sharp, Adelle Tracey
3000m: Josephine Moultrie, Steph Twell
60m hurdles: Tiffany Porter, Serita Solomon
High jump: Isobel Pooley
Long jump: Shara Proctor, Jazmin Sawyers, Lorraine Ugen
Pentathlon: Morgan Lake

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