News Archive

Jon Brown and Liz Yelling have withdrawn from the Norwich Union GB side competing at the IAAF World Championships beginning in Helsinki on August 6. The pair of marathon specialists announced today they both feel they have not got sufficent training under their belts to compete over the 26miles 382yards distance in the Finnish capital.

Brown fourth in last year's Olympic Games marathon who in April finished sixth in a lifetime best of two hours nine minutes 31seconds at the Flora London Marathon, said he has not fully recoevered from the event.

Yelling, who was the first British woman  to finish the Olympic women's marathon, has missed training whilst resting to recover from a virus. The Bedford and County AC runner withdrew from the team as she has not been able to cross-train during her lay off.

Yelling said: “There’s no point in running and doing a bad job. I don’t want to pull on a GB vest and underperform. "I’ve not been able to cross train so I would have to start training from scratch.”

Brown’s withdrawal means the men will not compete in the team event at the Championships. However Huw Lobb and Dan Robinson will still race as individuals. The  women’s squad of Paula Radcliffe, Mara Yamauchi, Hayley Haining and Debbie Mason are still eligible for the team competition with three athletes required to count.   David Martin