Sport
Best GB Medal Hopes At World Indoor Athletics Championship
The 2026 World Indoors Athletics Championship is just around the corner and a number of stars from the world of track and field are set to take part.
Great Britain will be taking a strong squad to Poland for this year’s indoors, which takes place from Friday 20th – Sunday 22nd March in Torun.
GB have a strong team heading over, a bunch of whom have serious medal chances, with some defending their titles. Let’s take a look at some of Great Britain’s leading medal hopes at the 2026 World Indoor Athletics Championship.
Keely Hodgkinson leads the GB charge
You can’t talk about British athletics at the moment without mentioning the 2024 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award winner, Keely Hodgkinson. She has become the face of Team GB and is a leading hope for a medal in Poland.
She is probably the standout gold medal contender and arrives in exceptional form after smashing the long-standing women’s indoor 800m world record just weeks ago. The Olympic champion will be making her debut at the World Indoors and will be firmly expected to challenge for the title.
With her proven pedigree as a three-time outdoor world medallist, she adds both experience and strong momentum to the British team. There is also the possibility she could double up in the 4x400m relay, having recently clocked a personal best of 51.49 seconds over one lap.
Elsewhere, there are several defending champions and established stars looking to make their mark.
Jeremiah Azu returns to defend his men’s 60m crown, while the women’s 60m promises to be particularly competitive, featuring world 200m silver medallist Amy Hunt alongside British record holder Dina Asher-Smith, who is set for her first World Indoor appearance since 2016 in what would be a sensational return should she bag the gold medal.
In the distance events, Josh Kerr will be another key name to watch. The 2023 world champion over 1500m and Olympic silver medallist steps up to the 3,000m, aiming to reclaim the title he won in Glasgow two years ago. Meanwhile, Georgia Hunter Bell and Jemma Reekie will both be in contention in the women’s 1500m, bringing strong recent credentials to the event.
Field events also offer serious medal potential, with pole vaulter Molly Caudery targeting a return to the global podium, having previously claimed world indoor gold. In the men’s 800m, Ben Pattison will look to build on his breakthrough performance that earned him a world medal in 2023.
The British squad is made up of a total of 29 athletes after, final selections were made subject to world ranking confirmations.
Notably absent is reigning world indoor 400m champion Amber Anning, who has opted to prioritise preparation for a busy outdoor season later this year with the Commonwealth Games and European Championships on the horizon.
With a blend of established champions and emerging talent, Great Britain will travel to Poland with genuine medal ambitions across a range of disciplines.
