Shaftesbury Barnet stars included in initial European squad (From Times Series)

Six Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers athletes join initial squad for European Athletics Championships

11:57am Wednesday 20th June 2012 in Sport

Six Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers athletes have been selected to form part of an initial squad ahead of this year’s European Athletics Championships.

A group of 109 has been named by UK Athletics from which the Aviva Great Britain and Northern Ireland Team will be selected to compete in Helsinki.

Following this weekend’s Aviva 2012 Trials the squad will be reduced in size, but Larry Achike, Lee McConnell, Marilyn Okoro, Sarah Waldron, Yamile Aldama and Jade Nicholls have all been selected.

Achike is Barnet’s sole male representative in the squad and could see action in the triple jump.

Waldron could compete in the 10,000m, while Aldama (triple jump) and Nicholls (discus) are in contention for the field events.

McConnell and Okoro could go in the 400m race, with the former is also in the frame to form part of the 4x400m relay team.

Any athletes who have gained automatic qualification for Team GB at London 2012 following this weekend’s trials will be de-selected in order to focus on their Olympic preparations.

Field athletes however, will be allowed to compete in Finland should they feel they will benefit from the extra competition.

This is the first year the European Championships will be held in the same year as the Olympics.

The final squad for the event will be announced on Monday with the competition running from Wednesday, June 27, through to Sunday, July 1.