Plymouth’s Adam Dingley, Nubia Evans-Shields, Nicolas Maczugowski and Poppy Northcott and Tavistock’s Louisa Hess, Phoebe Milburn, Ella Patterson and Rory Summers have all been named among the latest cohorts after impressive seasons.
The programme is the first key step on the England Athletics talent pathway, the purpose of which is to identify, develop, and support athletes and para-athletes from aged 16+ who have the potential to represent England and Great Britain at domestic and international competitions in the future.
The talent pathway is tailored to meet the specific developmental, educational, and employability needs of the athletes and para-athletes to help them reach their full potential, both inside and outside of the sport.
It is particularly aimed at this year’s second-year under-17 athletes who are about to move into the tough under-20 category, where they can be competing against rivals nearly three years older than them.
“At England Athletics, we are making it our mission to connect and support developing athletes and para-athletes along their journey towards success, both inside and outside of the sport.
“We know that helping to enhance the education and opportunities for our athletes and para-athletes whilst at the same time nurturing their sporting ability at each stage of their development is a huge positive step towards them reaching their full potential.”
“We know that the athletes at this stage of development require support for athlete, coach, and parents and the Youth Talent Programme aims to support all three components of the support network.”
Evans-Shields finished as the UK’s number one under-17 discus thrower and won her third consecutive English Schools’ title. She also claimed gold for England Schools at the SIAB International and for England Athletics at the Växjö Inomhuskast in Sweden. Despite still being an under-17 athlete, she is ranked in the top 16 seniors in the UK.
Milburn and Maczugowski also both won English Schools’ medals and represented England.
Milburn, who is ranked second in the UK under-17 girls’ hammer rankings, won silver at the English Schools’ Championships and bronze at the SIAB International. She also won the England Athletics title and, like Evans-Shield, came second overall and first under-18 for England at the Wales U20 International.
Maczugowski won silver in the 400m hurdles at both the English Schools’ Championships and the SIAB International. He was also a medal winner for England at the Wales U20 International. He ended the season ranked third in the UK.
Sprint hurdler Dingley is currently top of the 2023 U17 60m hurdles rankings and also joint second in the 100m hurdles. He came fourth at the England Championships and fifth at the English Schools’ Championships, missing out a medal by just 0.05 of a second despite losing his balance near the finish line.
Club colleague Northcott was also fifth at the English Schools’ Championshis in the intermediate girls’ 300m hurdles. She has also ended the year in the UK’s top 10.
At the close of the outdoor season, there are 14 athletes from the region ranked in the top 10 of their age categories and eight more in the top 20.
In the senior age group, Erme Valley Harriers’ Will Battershill is ranked second in the UK at the 3,000m steeplechase and he is also in the top 10 for the mile. He won his first British title in July.
City of Plymouth’s David King is ranked second in the 60m hurdles and third in the 110m hurdles.
Club colleague Poppy Tank, who won the British 3,000m steeplechase title this year, ended the outdoor season ranked seventh overall in her first campaign over that distance and she also topped the 2,000m steeplechase rankings.
Fellow Plymouth athlete Ethan Glyde is ranked seventh overall in the high jump and first under-20.
Tavistock’s Josh Tyler is ranked 16th senior in the shot and eighth under-23.
In the under-20 age group, Plymouth’s Henry Curtis is ranked eighth in both the 60m hurdles and 110m hurdles, while Ella Isaias is 16th in that age group’s women’s high jump.
In the under-17 age group, as well as those already mentioned on the Youth Talent Programme, Tavistock’s Owen Fileman is in the top 20 boys’ hammer throwers.
At under-15 level, Tavistock’s English Schools’ champion Tegan Brown is in the top five hammer throwers, while Hazel Stead is in the top 20 of the same event.
Club colleague Evie Palmer is ranked seventh in the under-15 girls’ javelin, while Charlotte Doney is in the top 10 discus throwers of that age group and team-mate Orla White is in the top 20.
In the under-13 age category, Tavistock’s Thomas Hennessy is ranked third in the 1,500m an ninth in the 800m.