British Athletes Compete for World Championship Places

The best track and field athletes in the land are heading to Birmingham on 2nd and 3rd August 2025 for the UK Athletics Championships. There’s a lot at stake too, with places at the 2025 World Athletics Championships up for grabs. The event takes place in Tokyo between 13th and 21st September and some of the elite-level stars have already booked their places in the British team, based on previous world-beating performances. But for a large number of athletes, this weekend’s event could be the only chance they get to earn a place on the plane to Japan in September.

So, ahead of the meeting, we’ll take a look at which athletes are in with a good chance of forcing their way into the selectors’ plans. We’ll also explain which stars have already qualified, and so can compete without pressure in Birmingham. First, though, let’s explain what athletes must do to qualify for the Worlds.

How Can Athletes Qualify for the World Championship in Japan?

The stage is set 🤩

Here’s the full rundown of what to expect at the @_Novuna UK Athletics Championships this weekend in Birmingham 🏟️#NovunaUKChamps2025 pic.twitter.com/aDG7N7jL84

— British Athletics (@BritAthletics) July 30, 2025

There are several ways a British athlete can qualify for the World Championships in Tokyo. In terms of the Uk Championships, athletes must finish first or second in their event, and also have achieved the Entry Standard for that discipline, as set by World Athletics (more of which later). But even if a Brit doesn’t finish in the top two at the weekend, they can still be selected for the team for Tokyo. This is because of Wild Card entries.

Wild Card entries would be issued to athletes who won their event at the 2023 World Championships. The only two Brits to win gold in Budapest in 2023 were Josh Kerr in the men’s 1,500m and Katarina Johnson-Thompson in the women’s heptathlon. In addition, Wild Cards are issued based on other factors such as winning the Diamond League, or through a combination of meeting entry standards and world rankings, based on the “Road to Tokyo” system.

Georgia Hunter Bell’s selection has been confirmed based on this route for the 1,500m. Wild Card entries take priority over those who finish in the top two at the UK trials. But that shouldn’t affect things as the UK will be able to take at least three athletes for each event.

In addition to the individual events, the men’s and women’s relay teams qualified for Tokyo on the back of their performances at the World Relays which took place in China in May 2025. Both men and women secured qualification spots for both the 4x100m and 4x400m relays. In addition, Emile Cairess and Calli Hauger-Thackery have both qualified for the marathon at Tokyo after several excellent performances in the long-distance event.

Cairess was third in the 2024 London Marathon, while Hauger-Thackery was third in the half marathon at the 2024 European Championships having already gained the qualifying time for the marathon in her first 26-miler in New York in October 2023.

There is also some discretion permitted when it comes to selection, especially for those who’ve achieved the qualifying standards but cannot attend the trials due to injury or illness. Simple as pie, eh?

Which Athletes Are Seeking Qualification?

There are some big names who look set to miss the trials, with Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson still not fully fit, and Matthew Hudson-Smith and George Mills also set to miss out. In Hodgkinson’s absence, the women’s middle-distance event looks highly competitive. The likes of Hunter Bell, Jemma Reekie, Kaura Muir and Katie Snowden are all top-class athletes, and it will be interest to see how they compete in their chosen races, whether the 800m, the 1,500m, or both.

In recent years, the men have also massively upped their game over the middle distances. Max Burgin and Ben Pattison are looking strong in the 800m, while the 1,500m will see 2022 world champion Jake Wightman and Neil Gourley battle it out to join the charismatic Kerr in the team. Kerr, meanwhile, will be running at the trials over 5,000m.

As ever the sprints will be highly competitive, and there are more regularly shock results over the shorter distances. The likes of Dina Asher-Smith, Daryll Neita and the fast-improving Amy Hunt will be the favourites for the women over 100m and 200m. Jeremiah Azu and Zharnel Hughes are the established sprinters on the men’s side who will be hoping to hold off a clutch of up-and-coming hopefuls. Meanwhile, with the aforementioned Hudson-Smith not running, the track is clear for Carlie Dobson to storm to victory in the 400m.

There are fewer opportunities in the field events for British athletes as fewer have made the qualifying distances/heights. But Morgan Lake will be eager to prove her worth in the high jump, and Molly Caudrey has a fine chance in the pole vault.

World Athletics Championships Entry Standards 2025

If you are planning to watch the UK trials, it’s worth knowing the times/distances/heights the athletes must achieve, which we’ve listed below. If an athlete finishes in the top two in their event and achieves better than the standards below, they are almost certainly going to be heading to Tokyo in September.