The Olympic Futures squad, and the clubs and coaches behind it

Less than a week after the World Class Programme list came the one I always look forward to more. UK Athletics has named the athletes on its 2026/27 Olympic Futures Programme and Futures Relay Sprint Programme, the squads that support young athletes and their coaches on the way to senior international level.

The programme is supported by Nike and delivered with the home country athletics federations. Its job is to spot athletes with the potential to compete on the world stage, and help them make the step up towards the World Class Programme.

Ten new names

Ten athletes join the Futures Programme this year, and I love how spread out they are, both across the events and across the country:

• Bronson Hearn-Smith, Colchester Harriers, 200m and relay
• Daniel Emegbor, Harrow AC, long jump
• Divine Iheme, Radley Athletic Club, 100m and relay
• Freddie Rowe, Havering AC, 1500m
• Samuel James, Kingston AC and Poly Harriers, high jump
• Sophie Thomas, Dunfermline Track & Field Club, 200m and relay
• Tito Odunaike, Marshall Milton Keynes AC, triple jump
• Wyatt Larkins, Harrow AC, hammer
• Ben East, Team Kennet, javelin
• Molly Palmer, long jump

Hammer, javelin, high jump, triple jump: it's really good to see field events so well represented. They don't always get the attention the sprints do, and seeing young throwers and jumpers backed early is good for the whole sport.

The coaches deserve a mention

One thing I always appreciate about this announcement is that it names the coach alongside almost every athlete. Behind the long list of retained athletes, including Innes Fitzgerald (Exeter AC, coached by Gavin Pavey), Thea Brown (Sale Harriers Manchester, Ash Bryant) and Gemma Tutton (Lewes AC, Erick Duffy), there are coaches who have given years of evenings and weekends to get them here.

Dan Wagner, Head of Performance Pathways at British Athletics, said the cohort "reflects the strength of emerging talent across British athletics." Looking at the range of clubs on the list, from Cardiff Archers to Gateshead and from Dunfermline to Lewes, I'd agree.

The relay squads

The Futures Relay programme names 65 athletes across four groups, under 20 and under 23, in the 4x100m and 4x400m. They'll work together through camps and competitions, and a second round of selections will follow the indoor season, ahead of the European under 20 and under 23 Championships in July. A separate Paralympic Futures squad of 23 athletes was announced the same day.

Every one of these athletes trains somewhere local. If you're curious about what your nearest club offers young athletes, find a track near you and the clubs based there.

Source: British Athletics