Welsh athletes Jenny Nesbitt and Matt Willis are hoping a “tough” IAAF Mikeller World Cross Country Championships will suit the Great Britain team down to the ground.
The general consensus is that the course for this Saturday’s event in Aarhus, Denmark, will be a genuine test of cross country skills with plenty of twists, turns, lumps and bumps.
Chief organiser Jakob Larsen has said of the course: “We all know the feeling of having your rhythm continually disrupted.
“Well on this course there is nowhere to rest. It is always up or down, twisting or turning, so getting into a rhythm is not that easy.”
Both Nesbitt and Willis feel this could be well suited to the 24-strong GB squad heading to Denmark to take on the world’s best at senior and junior level.
Nesbitt, who goes into the championship in sparkling form having won the Welsh and British Cross Country Championships in recent weeks said: “I think it will definitely play into Great Britain’s strengths.
“The Kenyans and Africans going into the race probably won’t be so used to that sort of terrain. So I hope the strength that Great Britain has over cross country will show out there.
“It will definitely be exciting. I’ve seen a preview of the course and it does look pretty tough.
“Hopefully the course will suit the British team more than some other nations, and we can put in some strong performances.”
The Worcester AC athlete was delighted to have claimed her place on the GB senior women’s team by winning the trials in Loughborough earlier this month, especially after having missed out on selection for the European Cross Country Championships in the Netherlands.
“I was really happy with my race in Loughborough, I stuck to the race plan – for a change – and felt strong on the last lap and able to push on to take the win,” said the Chris Jones-coached athlete.
“I was grinning coming over the line, not just because I’d won, but knowing I’d secured my place on the team for Aarhus.”
“We’ve got such a talented group of senior female athletes in Wales and Britain right now, so I’m really proud to have made the team.
“I really feel we’re going out there with a shot to perform really well and get close to a team medal.”
Willis, who is part of the GB men’s junior team, will go into World Championships in equally good form.
The Wrexham AC athlete was part of the silver medal-winning Great Britain Under-20 team at the European Cross Country Championships last December.
The 19-year, who also won his trial in Loughborough, said: “I’m aiming for top 40, more than that would be fantastic – I’ve had a great season, and it’s my first time at the World Champs and I want to go out and enjoy it, it’s tough course which will suit me and the team.”
Coverage of the World Championships between 09:45 and 14:00 will be on the BBC red button, Connected TV and online.
The full Great Britain team is:
Senior Men
Patrick Dever (Andy Bibby; Preston)
Oliver Fox (Richard Llewellyn Eaton; Wells City)
Adam Hickey (Eamonn Martin; Southend)
Mahamed Mahamed (Peter Haynes; Southampton AC)
Ross Millington (Jon Brown; Stockport)
Luke Traynor (Robert Hawkins; Giffnock North)
Senior Women
Kate Avery (Shildon)
Emily Hosker-Thornhill (Mick Woods; Aldershot, Farnham & District)
Mhairi MacLennan (Helen Clitheroe; Edinburgh Uni Hare & Hounds)
Jenny Nesbitt (Chris Jones; Worcester)
Jessica Piasecki (Robert Hawkins; Stockport)
Amelia Quirk (Mick Woods; Bracknell AC)
Junior Men
Euan Brennan (Andrew Henderson; Ilkley)
Josh Cowperthwaite (Martin Peevor; Middlesbrough Mandale)
Rory Leonard (Morpeth)
Zakariya Mahamed (Peter Haynes; Southampton AC)
Benjamin West (Kyle Bennett; MK Distance Project)
Matt Willis (self; Wrexham)
Junior Women
Charlotte Alexander (Wayne Vinton; Herne Hill)
Becky Briggs (Derek Ricketts; City of Hull)
Grace Brock (Cornwall)
Olivia Mason (Graeme Mason; Border Harriers)
Amelia Samuels (John Abbiss; Wolverhampton & Bilston)
Eloise Walker (John Lees; Edinburgh AC)