Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Keely Hodgkinson named in GB Team for European Athletics Championships

British athletics stars Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Keely Hodgkinson have been named as part of the 70-strong squad that will travel to the 2024 European Athletics Championships in Rome, Italy next month.

Johnson-Thompson, who is a current world champion, will take part in the heptathlon event - meanwhile, Hodgkinson is due to compete in the 800m sprint, after picking up a silver medal in this event during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

They are not the only ones who have been announced as part of the team representing Britain and Northern Ireland, of course. Zharnel Hughes, who picked up a bronze medal in the World Championships, will partake in the 100m sprint - meanwhile, 2014 Commonweath Games and 2022 European Championships gold medallist Matthew Hudson-Smith will take part in the 400m sprint event.

The European Athletics Championships will take place over the course of six days and are due to commence on June 7 - they will then conclude on June 12. The competition starts just eight weeks before the 2024 Paris Olympics, which will officially begin on Friday, July 26 and end on August 11.

Athletics head coach Paula Dunn said: “I am really pleased with the team we have announced today that will compete in the European Athletics Championships. It is incredibly strong with a high number of athletes feeling that Rome will form an important part of their preparations for Paris.

“For some athletes, winning a medal in Rome will be the perfect preparation for the Olympics, for others competing here will provide a benchmark as to where they are knowing that their peak performance needs to come at the start of August.

“There is also a good blend of athletes who can use this championship to step up and fuel their aims of qualifying for Paris and onto Tokyo World Championships in 2025.”