Olympic qualifier Chris Thompson explains his “explosion of emotions”.
The first seven members of the Team GB track and field team for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics have been confirmed.
Winner of the exams Chris Thompson and Stephanie Davis were selected in the men’s and women’s marathons along with Ben Connor, Callum Hawkins, Jess Piasecki and Steph Twell.
Tom Bosworth, who finished sixth in Rio 2016, will compete on the 20 km circuit.
The games, which have been postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic, will take place from July 23rd to August 8th.
“It is a great privilege to have the first seven Tokyo athletics team members join Team GB,” said Mark England, Team GB Chief of Mission Tokyo 2020.
“It was clear how much this selection meant to them when they saw the coverage of the qualifying tournament last week and saw the emotions each athlete felt as they crossed the finish line.
“The hard work and dedication to securing Olympic qualifications is admirable, especially in a year that has been so challenging.”
Thompson and Davis finished qualifying times at the Kew Gardens Trials in March, with Connor finishing second behind Thompson after setting the qualifying standard in an earlier race.
The Scottish Hawkins had already secured a spot in this summer’s late games and were only on pacemaker service in London.
Piasecki and two-time Olympian Twell will join Davis in the Sapporo Women’s Marathon after they both reached the qualifying standard in 2019.
