Athletics: Sharp in Scots team for Wales international

The European Championship silver medallist won’t race in the 800m at the AVIVA Grand Prix in London this weekend. Hurdler Eilidh Child and Eilish McColgan are on the start lists for Crystal Palace, with the latter taking on a 5000m rather than the steeplechase for which she has been picked for the Olympics.

Sharp and coach Dave Sunderland preferred to focus on training this week and now she will run a 400m leg for Scotland in a relay outing next Wednesday in Wales.

“There was an option of competing in the Diamond League in Monaco on 20 July instead of Crystal Palace but, after talking to my coach, we felt this was the best schedule for me,” said Sharp.

“I was at the Olympic trials in Birmingham and then straight into the Europeans in Helsinki and needed a bit of training time.

“Scotland women had a great 4 x 400m relay effort when winning at the Loughborough International not so long ago and everyone in that team is involved for Wales except Eilidh Child.”

The London line-up for the women’s 800m does feature Marilyn Okoro – one of the athletes left out of the Olympics at that distance by Charles van Commenee when Sharp was picked.

Welsh Athletics are staging the international meeting on Wednesday 18 July with a number of athletes due in Cardiff as they make their final preparations for London 2012.

Scotland will enter Under-20 teams as well as relay squads for the 4 x 400m. Scottish senior sprint champions Tom Holligan (Edinburgh AC) and Kathryn Christie (Banchory and Stonehaven) – both teenagers – are due to take part, with Holligan currently in Barcelona with GB for the World Juniors.

Scotland Under-20 teams – Men: 100m Tom Holligan; 400m Jay Younger; 1500m Neil Gourlay; HJ Robert Ferguson; SP Nick Percy. Women: 200m Kathryn Christie; 800m Laura Muir; LJ Faye Nicholson; JT Aileen Rennie.

Scotland relay teams: 4x400m men – Jamie Bowie, Kris Robertson, Jay Younger, Guy Learmonth, Anthony Young; 4 x 400m women – Kathryn Evans, Zoey Clark, Gemma Nicol, Dianne Ramsay, Lynsey Sharp.

Other Scots due to take part as individuals: Hazel Ross (HJ), Kirsty Yates (SP), Blair Crawford (400m), Susan McKelvie (HT) and Connor Henderson (400mH).