To the future: Adam Gemili is viewed as one of the future stars of athletics in Britain, as is Olympic bronze medallist Sophie Hitchon (inset top) and Katarina Johnson-Thompson (inset bottom)
PICTURES: MARK SHEARMAN
BRITISH ATHLETICS performance director Neil Black as backed the likes of Adam Gemili, Dina AsherJessica Ennis-Hill’s retirement announcement last month signalled the beginning of a changing of the guard in British athletics. Of Britain’s individual medallists from the Rio 2016 Olympics only Sophie Hitchon, at 24, can be relied upon to still be competing at the top four years from now.
With Mo Farah due to switch his spikes for road flats after next summer’s World Championships at 34 years old and Greg Rutherford turning 30 later this month, there have been questions raised over the ability of Britain’s younger generation of senior athletes to raise their game to a world or Olympic podium level.