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Chris Adcock and Imogen Bankier
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Natalie Broadbent 23 March 2012
Athletics: A 24-strong Aviva GB & NI team has been announced by UK Athletics to contest the 2012 BT Paralympic World Cup in Manchester in May. The squad includes four world record holders, including Dan Greaves, who recorded the F44 discus world record of 59.27 metres at the 2011 BT Paralympic World Cup. Double Olympic champion David Weir will also compete.
Full squad: Jonathan Adams (F32/33/34 Shot Putt), Graeme Ballard (T36 100/200m), Mickey Bushell (T53/54 100m/400m), Richard Chiassaro (T53/54 100m), Libby Clegg (T11/12 100/200m), Hannah Cockroft (T34 100m), Aled Davies (F42/44 Discus), Derek Derenalagi (F55/56/57/58 Seated Javelin), Dan Greaves (F42/44 Discus), Katrina Hart (T37 100/200m), Sophie Kamlish (T42/43/44 100/200m), Jenny McLoughlin (T37 100/200m), Georgina Oliver (T53/54 100/400m), Jonnie Peacock (T42/43/44 100/200m), Stef Reid (T42/43/44 100/200m), Ben Rushgrove (T36 100/200m), Will Smith (T53/54 100/400m), Nathan Stephens (F55/56/57/58 Seated Javelin), Anne Strike (T53/54 100/800m), Owain Taylor (F55/56/57/58 Seated Javelin), David Weir (T53/54 400/800m), Dan West (F32/33/34 Shot Putt), Richard Whitehead (T42/43/44 100/200m), Bethany Woodward (T37 100/200m)
UK Athletics
Badminton: Chris Adcock and Imogen Bankier reached the semi-finals of the Swiss Open, losing to top seeds Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir of Indonesia, 21-19 16-21 21-13.
In reaching the last four, Adcock and Bankier assured themselves 4,900 ranking points that will boost their world ranking from No. 14, to the brink of the world’s top 10, as they look to claim the GB spot for Wembley. Their previous highest ranking was No. 11.
Badminton England
Cycling: British Cycling has confirmed that Andy Tennant will also travel with the team to Australia ahead of the UCI Track World Championships taking place in Melbourne from 4–8 April 2012.
Performance Director Dave Brailsford said: “Training over the last couple of weeks has gone really well. Andy has justified his inclusion in the squad and will travel to Melbourne.”
British Cycling
Diving: Tom Daley landed his first medal of the season with 10m Platform silver at the opening leg of the 2012 FINA World Series in Dubai. The 2009 world champion progressed comfortably from his semi-final with a score of 514.30 before improving to 539.40 in the final. China’s world champion Qiu Bo ultimately took gold on 569.25 but Daley finished clear of USA’s world silver medallist David Boudia in bronze on 521.60
Daley narrowly missed out on a second medal with Peter Waterfield in the 10m Synchro as they finished less than two points off a medal in fourth. The British pair scored 411.18 while Russia’s Illya Zakharov and Victor Minibaev took bronze on 412.62.
Tonia Couch also finished fourth in Dubai after an impressive performance in the 10m Platform. Couch also teamed up with Sarah Barrow to finish sixth in the 10m Synchro on 300.18.
The other Brits in action in Dubai were Jack Laugher (431.55) who finished eighth in the 3m Springboard and the pair of Chris Mears and Nick Robinson-Baker (401.28) who were sixth in the 3m Synchro.
British Swimming
Modern Pentathlon: Britain’s Beijing 2008 Olympians Nick Woodbridge and Sam Weale both achieved top-10 finishes at the second Modern Pentathlon World Cup of the year in Brazil. Woodbridge finished sixth in Rio de Janeiro – a repeat of his sixth place finish at the opening World Cup of the year in the USA a week ago. Weale finished just behind him in seventh. Weale had gone into this World Cup ranked 47th in the world and his performance was a marked improvement on the opening World Cup of the year, when he didn’t qualify for the final.
Jan Bartu, Pentathlon GB Performance Director, said: “It’s been a good day for the British men. They really confirmed their improved standard of performance, but they both still have room for improvement in individual elements.”
Britain’s women finished out of the medals, with Beijing 2008 silver medallist Heather Fell in 13th, Freyja Prentice 15th, Katy Livingston 16th and Mhairi Spence 25th.
Pentathlon GB
Taekwondo: Britain claimed two senior gold medals at the Dutch Open, with Aaron Cook claiming the -80kg title and Jordan Gayle triumphing in the non-Olympic -63kg category. Cook beat Argentina's Sebastian Crismanich in a thrilling final, 9-8, having earlier defeated fellow Brit Lutalo Muhammad in the semi-final, overturning the result of the German Open semi when the two met a fortnight ago. Londoner Muhammad's impressive run to a bronze medal included an impressive 7-0 win over European silver medallist Nikolaos Tzellos of Greece.
Liverpool's Bianca Walkden also enjoyed medal success as she made the -67kg final only to go down to the home favourite, Reshmie Oogink, 2-6.
Britain’s juniors also won two golds at the event, with Jamie Abley and Asia Bailey triumphing.
GB Taekwondo
Team GB: adidas, Official Sportswear Provider of Team GB and ParalympicsGB has proudly presented the ground-breaking team kit that will be worn by the British athletes at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Designed by acclaimed British designer Stella McCartney, who was appointed by adidas as Creative Director for this project.
Stella McCartney said: “The first place to start on a project like this is to look at the Union flag. For me it’s one of the most beautiful flags in the world and it was important for me to stay true to that iconic design but also to modernise it and present it in a contemporary way. Ultimately, we wanted the athletes to feel like a team and be proud with the identity we created.”
Team GB
Triathlon: Will Clarke, Liz Blatchford, Vicky Holland and Jodie Stimpson are amongst the British competitors at the opening ITU World Cup event in Mooloolaba, Australia this weekend (24-25 March). The event will offer a good indication of form ahead of the higher priority ITU World Triathlon Series event in Sydney next month.
British Triathlon
