Muir leads Britain’s charge for medals at Edinburgh Cross Country race

Muir selected for British Team at Great Edinburgh Cross Country

Laura Muir and newly crowned European cross country U20 champion Harriet Knowles-Jones (Paul Roden) headline the full British Athletics team of 34 for the Great Edinburgh XCountry at Holyrood Park on Saturday 13 January 2018.

After leading the team to victory in the senior mixed relay in Edinburgh at the start of 2017, Laura Muir once again stars for the British quartet. She makes her fourth successive appearance in the 4x1km relay and is yet to be beaten in the event. The two-time world finalist over 1500m will have her eyes on making it a famous fourth victory at the 2018 edition.

Alongside Muir, Alex Bell (Andrew Henderson) – one of nine British senior debutants in the team – is joined by Adam Clarke (Geoff Watkin) and Tom Marshall (James Thie); the latter anchored the British team to the first ever European cross country championships gold at the weekend.

After a superb gold medal last Sunday, Harriet Knowles-Jones joins the senior team after her stand out performance in Samorin last weekend. She will be joined by senior women’s gold medallists at those championships, Emelia Gorecka (Chris Thompson) and Elle Vernon (David Turnbull). Gorecka famously won the senior race in tough conditions in 2015, so has history of starring in the first major meeting of the season.

Also included in the strong senior women’s squad is European U23 cross bronze medallist Jess Judd (Mick Judd), who continues to impress during this cross country season.

Sixth place in the senior men’s race in Slovakia was the best result of Ben Connor’s (Steve Vernon) career to date, and he will headline the senior men’s team. After withdrawing from the race on Sunday, Dewi Griffiths (Kevin Evans) will be raring to go across the mud in the Scottish capital next month.

Four European cross team gold medallists star in the U20 women’s race – Phoebe Barker (Richard Owen), Niamh Brown (Mick Woods), Cari Hughes (Andrew Walling) and Khahisa Mhlanga (Mick Judd).

The highest placed finisher in the U20 men’s race on Sunday, Matthew Willis (self-coached), leads the U20 men’s entries for the British team.