2026 UK Athletics Championships
British athletics event
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The 2026 UK Athletics Championships (formally known as the British Athletics Championships) is the 2026 edition of the annual national championships in outdoor track and field for athletes in the United Kingdom, and also serves as a qualifying event or trials for the 2026 European Athletics Championships[1].
| 2026 UK Athletics Championships | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 20-21 June 2026 |
| Host city | Birmingham, England |
| Venue | Alexander Stadium |
| Level | Senior |
| Type | Outdoor |
← 2025 2027 → | |
The event is sponsored by Novuna and is held from 20 to 21 June 2026. The championships return to the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, which will also host the 2026 European Athletics Championships, the first time that event has been hosted in the United Kingdom.[2]
The 10,000 metres, marathon and combined events (heptathlon and decathlon) disciplines to determine the British champions in those events will be held separately, at different venues and dates - in all three cases, they were combined with other athletics events[1].
European Championships qualification
The criteria for selection are broader than are the case for a World or Olympic championships, involving multiple steps and exemptions, but the winner of each event held at the UK Athletics Championships will be automatically selected if they have the European Athletics qualification standard[1].
Individual medalists from the most recent World Athletics Championships and Summer Olympics are also preselected if they have the qualification standard, subject to fitness and form[1].
| Criteria | Athlete | Event |
|---|---|---|
| EA Wild Cards (reigning EAC individual champions) | Dina Asher-Smith Keely Hodgkinson | Women's 100 m Women's 800 m |
| 2025 World medalists | Jake Wightman Amy Hunt Georgia Hunter Bell Katarina Johnson-Thompson |
Men's 1500 m Women's 200 m Women's 800 m Women's heptathlon |
| 2024 Olympic medalists | Matthew Hudson-Smith Josh Kerr Georgia Hunter Bell |
Men's 400 m Men's 1500 m Women's 800 m |
Athletes will then be selected on the basis of the following criteria, in order:
- Winner of each event at the 2026 UK Athletics Championships in Birmingham on 20 and 21 June, or the equivalent British championship events in Marathon, 10,000 metres or combined events, if they possess the required entry standard;
- Remaining athletes with a European Athletics Entry Standard;
- Remaining athletes with European Athletics Ranking position;
- Athletes selected for relay events only to ensure full teams.
Three athletes per individual event may be selected, or four where one place is taken by an athlete with an EA wild card.
In the Marathon, a team of up to six per sex could be nominated, to compete in both the individual marathon and team competitions.
The 5000 metres race walks are held as demonstrations, and not European Championship events.
Results
Men
The UK Athletics 10,000 metre Championships were held as the final elite races of the Loughborough international Meet with the assistance of England Athletics. An open event, the highest placed British athletes from the mixed field determine the placings.[21].
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10,000 m[21] | Joe Wigfield | 28:56.39* | James Kingston | 29:09.01 | Max Milarvie | 29:13.51 |
* The race itself was won by the former Ethiopian runner, Kadar Omar, who lives and trains in the UK, but competes currently as a Refugee athlete.
The British Marathon Championships for 2026 was, as has been the case for several years, held as part of the 2026 London Marathon. As with the 10,000 metre championships, the highest placed British athletes from the mixed field determine the placings.
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marathon[22] | Mahamed Mahamed | 2:06.14 | Patrick Dever | 2:06.18 | Weynay Ghebresilasie | 2:06.59 |
- Mahamed Mahamed, Jonny Mellor, Ellis Cross, Weynay Ghebresilasie and Tewelde Menges were selected for the European championships UK marathon team[23].
British Combined Events Championships
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decathlon | ||||||
Women
The UK Athletics 10,000 metre Championships were held as the final elite races of the Loughborough international Meet with the assistance of England Athletics. An open event, tthe highest placed British athletes from the mixed field determine the placings.[21].
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10,000 m[21][37] | Izzy Fry | 32:12.90 | Poppy Tank | 32:15.30 | Hannah Irwin | 32:22.57 |
The British Marathon Championships for 2026 was, as has been the case for several years, held as part of the 2026 London Marathon. As with the 10,000 metre championships, the highest placed British athletes from the mixed field determine the placings.
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marathon[38] | Eilish McColgan | 2:24.51 | Rose Harvey | 2:26.14 | Louise Small | 2:28.29 |
- Abbie Donnelly, Natasha Wilson, Clara Evans, Louise Small and Rose Harvey were selected for the European championships marathon team[23].
British Combined Events Championships.
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heptathlon | ||||||
Para-athletic events
The Championships also hosted a number of para-athletic events. In mixed classification events, 'disability points', a form of factoring, decided the medals rather than raw times.
| Event | Gold | Silver | Bronze | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Men's events | ||||||
| 100 m ambulant 1 (MC)[39][4] | Thomas Young (T38) | 10.79 | Zac Shaw (T12) | 10.76 | Ryan Hannah (T44) | 11.62 |
| 100 m Frame running (MC) | Chris Jacquin (T71) | 22.48 | Finlay Menzies (T72) | 16.57 | Gavin Drysdale (T72) | 16.80 |
| 1500 m wheelchair (MC) | Nathan Maguire (T54) | 3:06.37 | Joshua Hartley (T53) | 3:30.09 | Kyle Brotherton (T54) | 3:41.25 |
| Women's events | ||||||
| 100 m ambulant (MC) | Ndidikama Okoh (T42) | 15.44 | Hetty Bartlett (T38) | 13.69 | Bebe Jackson (T44) | 13.94 |
| 400 m wheelchair (MC)[40][4] | Melanie Woods (T54) | 55.52 | Kare Adenegan (T34) | 1:04.49 | Joanna Robertson (T54) | 1:06.59 |
Broadcasting
In the United Kingdom, the championhips are shown online by the BBC as part of a multi-event deal with UK Athletics.[41]