Callum selected for World Half Marathon

Tuesday 8th March 2016

Callum in action in Glasgow in Great Scottish Run (photo by Bobby Gavin)

British Athletics website GB team announcement

Callum Hawkins will compete in his first Senior World Champs for GB when he joins Mo Farah at the World Half Marathon in Cardiff later this month.

The Scot was named in a 10-strong team by British Athletics for the event in the Welsh capital on Saturday 26 March.

It will be a final race before the London Marathon for Hawkins, who has his sights firmly set on Olympic qualification in Rio and who recorded another PB in the Paris Half Marathon on Sunday.

Callum clocked 62.36 to better his Great Scottish Run performance last autumn and set himself up for the World event in Wales.

‘It is my first Senior GB vest for a World Champs so I am really pleased with that,’ said the 23-year-old Kilbarchan AAC athlete, who went to the World Cross in Poland as a Junior some six years ago.

‘When Mo Farah is around, it raises the quality of the event and the race itself as all the top people want to race him. So that means the standards rise and you want to be in with that kind of level if you can.

‘I don’t know if I can mix it with him quite the way I did in the mud at Holyrood Park at the Great Edinburgh XC but, as I say, it will be a top race and it is good to be in his team.

‘I’m aware some of the big names from Africa will be there and I’d expect Cardiff to do a great job of hosting so it is exciting.

‘It will be my last race of any kind before the London Marathon – not long after that we will be into the taper down period over the final two to three weeks.’

Callum and Mo in XC action at Great Edinburgh in January

Callum was the first European home in Paris last Sunday as he finished in 10^th place in 62.36.

‘It was another PB for the half marathon on Sunday in Paris which was also pleasing,’ he added.

‘I wanted to go even a little bit quicker than 62.36 but I will settle for that. There has been a progression on my half time over the four times I’ve done it which I think shows training is going well. Paris was quicker than I ran for the half prior to Frankfurt so hopefully that bodes well for London.

‘The Olympic qualification is clear now – the top two in London with the standard would be automatically selected. Scott Overall and myself have the standard.

‘I think what it means for me is that, depending on how the race pans out on the day and weather conditions, I don’t need to chase the qualifying time if isn’t ‘on’ for that particular day. Aiming for the top two would then be the goal.’

Many congratulations to Callum from all at scottishathletics and to his family and coach, dad Robert, as well as all at Kilbarchan AAC.

Mo raced 3000m at the Emirates Arena

Farah headlines the GB men’s team for Cardiff makes his debut at these championships. The double Olympic, World and European champion last competed in the UK over 3000m at the Glasgow Indoor Grand Prix and is excited at the prospect of racing in front of another home crowd in South Wales.

Farah, European record holder at half marathon (59.32) said: ‘I am looking forward to running on the British team at the IAAF/Cardiff University World Half Marathon Championships in Cardiff. It will be my first time to compete at this Championship but I have been training hard and hope to perform well.

‘I always enjoy racing in front of a home crowd and I’m sure they will give myself and the rest of the British team, fantastic support as they line the streets of the city.’

British Athletics team for the IAAF/Cardiff University World Half Marathon Championships on Saturday 26 March 2016:

Men

Mo Farah (Alberto Salazar)

Dewi Griffiths (Kevin Evans)

Callum Hawkins (Robert Hawkins)

Matthew Hynes (Stan Markley)

Ryan McLeod

Women

Alyson Dixon (Self-coached)

Rachel Felton (Christopher Frapwell)

Charlotte Purdue (Nic Bideau)

Jenny Spink (Bruce Tulloh)