Scott Lincoln was added to the 62-man group that will receive World Class Program support.
UK Athletics has announced the names of 62 athletes to be nominated for the National Lottery-funded World Class Program (WCP) for the coming year.
Athletes will be supported at four levels: Podium, Podium Potential, Transfer and Confirmation; The governing body stresses that inclusion is based on “an assessment that they have realistic potential and demonstration opportunities at the 2027 World Championships in Beijing, the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles and, in 20 cases, the Olympic Games”.
This latest batch features eight new faces to the program. The highest-rated extra is Scott Lincoln, who will receive the highest level of funding a year after he finished eighth in the men’s shooting final at the world championships in Tokyo, Britain’s best ever at the event.
Tyree Donovan, Emily Newnham, Hannah Nuttall and Elise Thorner are on the Podium Potential list, with Lee Thompson on Olympic Relay Confirmation funding and Patrick Dever, Success Eduan and Abi Pollett joining the Olympic Confirmation list. Last year’s members: Katie Snowden (Podium), Melissa Courtney-Bryant, Phoebe Gill and Charlotte Payne (Pod), Eugene Amo-Dadzi, Victoria Ohuruogu, Ama Pipi and Joshua Zeller (Relays) are not included.
The list also reveals some interesting coaching changes, with Louis Hinchliffe no longer working with Richard Kielty, Imani Lansicotte joining Amy Hunt in the Italian coaching group overseen by Marco Airale, and Lina Nielsen being managed by ex-Olympic hurdler Jack Green.
“With the European Championships being held in the UK for the first time in Birmingham in 2026, our GB and NA athletes will have an incredible opportunity to compete on home soil,” UKA performance director Paula Dunne said. “Competing in front of friends, family and a passionate home crowd is always special and I know our athletes will be proud and focused on the occasion.
“We are now entering a crucial phase of the performance cycle. our sights are firmly set on the 2027 World Championships in Beijing and the Los Angeles Olympics and beyond. Every step we take from here is geared towards reaching that pinnacle.
“For those who were not selected this time, this is not the end of the road. Program standards are high, but potential and progress continues in many ways. We’ve seen time and time again that paths to success are rarely linear. Everyone who wears the GB & NI vest should be proud and we will continue to work to support and guide our athletes to future success.”
Athletes of the World Class Program 2026.
Olympic podium (21)
Amber Anning (Chris Johnson, Brighton & Hove)
Dina Usher-Smith (Blackheath & Bromley)
Max Burgin (Ian Burgin, Halifax Harriers)
Emil Kyres (Renato Canova, Leeds City)
Molly Codery (Scott Simpson, Thames Valley)
Jacob Fincham-Dukes (Austin Brobst, Leeds City)
Keeley Hodgkinson (Trevor Painter, Leigh)
Amy Hunt (Marco Airale, Charnwood)
Georgia Hunter Bell (Trevor Painter, Belgrave Harriers)
Jarnell Hughes (Glen Mills, Shaftesbury Barnet)
Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Aston Moore, Liverpool)
Josh Kerr (Danny McKee, Edinburgh)
Lake Morgan (Yannick Tregaro, Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow)
Scott Lincoln (Dale Stevenson, York City)*
Laura Muir (Laura Weightman, Dundee Hawkhill)
Daryl Neita (Lance Brauman, Cambridge Harriers)
Ben Pattison (Dave Ragan, Basingstoke and Mid Hants)
Gemma Rickey (John Big, Kilbarchan)
Jazmin Sawyers (Aston Moor, Stoke City)
Jake Wightman (John Hartigan, Edinburgh)
Matthew Hudson-Smith (Gary Evans, Birchfield Harriers)
LA potential (1)
Cindy Sember (Woodford Green Essex Ladies)
Olympic podium potential (14)
Charlie Dobson (Leon Baptist, Colchester)
Tyree Donovan (Marina Armstrong, Windsor Slough Eton & Hunslow)*
Rommel Glaive (Michael Afilaka, Croydon)
Neil Gourley (Steven Haas, Giffnock North)
Megan Keith (Ross Cairns, Inverness)
George Mills (Thomas Dreisigacker, Brighton Phoenix)
Emily Newnham (Nick Duckin, Shaftesbury Barnet)*
Hannah Nuttall (Helen Clitheroe, Charnwood)*
Jade O’Dowda (John Lane, Newham and Essex Beagles)
Tade Ojora (Joanna Hayes, Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow)
Amy Pratt (Thomas Dreißigacker, Sale Harriers Manchester)
Anna Purchase (Muhammad Ali Saatara, Notts)
Mark Scott (Chris Jones, Richmond and Zetland)
Elise Turner (Helen Clitheroe, Wells City)*
Olympic relay (15)
Jeremiah Azu (Helen James, Cardiff)
Lewis Davey (Trevor Painter, Newham & Essex Beagles)
Toby Harris (David Sadkin, Brighton Phoenix)
Alex Haydock-Wilson (Day Green, Windsor Slough, Eton & Hounslow)
Desiree Henry (Enfield and Haringey)
Louis Hinchliffe (Sheffield and Dearns)
Yemi Mary John (Alan James, Woodford Green Essex Ladies)
Hannah Kelly (Les Hall, Bolton)
Imani Lansiquot (Marco Airale, Sutton & District)
Nathaniel Mitchell-Blake (Michael Afilaka, Newham and Essex Beagles)
Lina Nielsen (Jack Green, Shaftesbury Barnett)
Lavaj Nielsen (Tony Leicester, Anfield and Haringey)
Sam Reardon (Nigel Stickings, Blackheath and Bromley)
Bianca Williams (Linford Christie, Thames Valley)
Nikol Yaregin (Grigory Sholars, Pitrevi)
Olympic relay confirmation (1)
Lee Thompson (John Henson, Sheffield & Dearne)*
Olympic endorsement (10)
Alastair Chalmers (Matt Elias, Guernsey)
Patrick Dever (Alastair Craig, Preston)*
Success Eduan (Anita Richardson, Sale Harriers Manchester)*
Phoebe Gill (Deborah Stier, St Albans)
Callie Hauger-Tucker (Nick Hauger, Hallamshire)
Mohamed Mohamed (Idris Hamoud, Southampton)
Jake Norris (Nick Ridgeon Windsor Slough Eton & Hounslow)
Abi Pollett (Ashley Bryant, Trafford)*
Jess Warner-Judd (Mick Judd, Blackburn)
Reeve Walcott-Nolan (Thomas Dreisigacker, Luton)
*New for the 2026 program
