ATHLETES ELECT EILIDH DOYLE AS TEAM CAPTAIN

Eilidh Doyle has been selected as Team Captain for next month’s IAAF World Championships in London, after a vote by fellow members of the British Athletics team.

The extraordinary honour has been delivered following a poll of all 78 members of the British Athletics team and comes after the 400m hurdler became the most decorated Scottish track and field athlete in history this March, following a 4x400m silver at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Belgrade.

The 30-year-old said “”I’m absolutely chuffed to bits. It’s a huge honour to have been elected by my peers as the Team Captain for British Athletics at London 2017. To lead your team at a home World Championships is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity and to have your teammates vote that they want you to do it, makes it even more special.”

Doyle’s selection confirms her status as one of Britain’s most respected athletes. Competing at her fifth World Championships, Doyle was the face of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and completed her “Grand Slam” set of Commonwealth, European and World Championship medals last year in Rio, when she added Olympic 4x400m bronze to the collection.

British Athletics Performance Director Neil Black said: “I’m delighted for Eilidh. She’s a fierce competitor and a fantastic role model for younger athletes in the team. Eilidh is Scotland’s most decorated athlete and has won a medal at all of the majors. She knows what it takes to win! That’s the type of athlete and mindset we need to lead us into a home world championships.”

Each athlete selected for the British Athletics team at the London 2017 IAAF World Athletics Championships was asked to nominate a fellow competitor from within the team, with the athlete receiving the most nominations elected as captain.

Previously the team captain was chosen by the Performance Director, with Martyn Rooney and Adam Gemili selected for the role at the Beijing 2015 World Championships and 2016 Rio Olympic Games respectively.

The captain’s responsibilities include the official team press conference in London, media duties and a pre-championships speech at the team meeting – which will be attended by the whole team (with athletes based at altitude being able to watch online).

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