Welsh Duo Charlotte Arter And Kris Jones In GB Team For World Half Marathon Champs

By Owen Morgan

Welsh international endurance runners Charlotte Arter and Kris Jones have been selected to represent Great Britain at the rescheduled World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in Poland next month.

Swansea Harrier Jones was in fine form before lockdown, clocking a new half-marathon PB of 63:10 in Barcelona back in February.

The Welsh 5,000m champion, who is based in Scotland, also represented Great Britain last year at the European Cross Country Championships in Portugal.

Arter, another established GB international, also competed at Barcelona where she finished fifth just outside her personal best.

Swansea Harriers Scotland-based Kris Jones in GB squad

The Cardiff Athletics runner, displayed she has sustained that good form since the start of year by winning the women’s race at the recent Cardiff Sunset 5K road race.

This will be Arter’s third consecutive appearance at the championships, having competed at previous events in Valencia and Cardiff.

Arter and Jones are joined by Cardiff-based Jake Smith – coached by ex-GB and Wales international James Thie – in the 10-strong team heading to Gdynia for the October 17 race.

The Cardiff Athletics man ran a half-marathon of 62:00 at London’s Vitality Big Half in March and was fourth in the 5,000m at last month’s British Championships.

British Athletics had selected a team for the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships in March, but the original race was cancelled due to COVID-19.

Ben Connor, Chris Thompson, Matt Leach, Lily Partridge and Sarah Inglis, who were named in the original team, declined selection and have been replaced in the line-up.

Team leader Robert Hawkins said: “I am delighted that we are able to name such a strong team.

“The team has been revised following athlete withdrawals from the original team named for March’s championship, but I feel we have been able to add a good blend of international experience to those that are making their first appearances on the roads for Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

“I am hopeful that the full team of 10 we have selected, with its strong mix of international experience and debutants on the roads, will be able to guide us to a strong team finish in Poland.”

The full British team selected for the World Athletics Half Marathon Championships on October 17:

Men:
Mohamud Aadan (Paul Oppe; Thames Valley)
Tom Evans (Andrew Hobdell; Belgrave)
Callum Hawkins (Robert Hawkins; Kilbarchan)
Kris Jones (Swansea Harriers/Dundee Hawkhill)
Jake Smith (James Thie; Cardiff)

Women:
Charlotte Arter (Chris Jones; Cardiff)
Hayley Carruthers (Daniel Robinson; Birchfield)
Stephanie Davis (Phillip Kissi; Clapham Chasers)
Samantha Harrison (Vince Wilson; Notts)
Charlotte Purdue (Nic Bideau; Aldershot, Farnham & District)