British athletes set to chase selection standards for Torun in Lee Valley, Loughborough and either Manchester or Sheffield next month

The British Indoor Championships in Glasgow on February 20-21 has been replaced by three micro meetings at Lee Valley, Loughborough and either Manchester or Sheffield in order to help athletes achieve qualifying marks for the European Indoor Championships in Poland in March.

Lee Valley will stage 60m and 60m hurdles races plus long and triple jump on February 20, with Loughborough holding high jump, pole vault and shot put competitions for a small number of elite athletes on February 21.

Over the same weekend there will also be 400m and middle-distance races plus combined events in Manchester or Sheffield as athletes attempt to earn selection for the European event in Torun on March 5-7.

However, in order to limit numbers UK Athletics is not staging a women’s 60m due to insufficient confirmed entries, nor 200m or race walks due to those events not being on the programme in Torun.

The micro meetings will, of course, be Covid-compliant and held behind closed doors for a small number of potential competitors for the European Indoors and only for those who hold the necessary elite athlete exemption that allows them to travel.

It is good news for athletes after a frustrating series of cancellation announcements. These included the British Indoor Championships in Glasgow and the Night of the 10,000m PBs in north London – the latter of which was not due to take place until June 5 – whereas the opening round of the National Athletics League on May 16 is among the early summer fixtures that have already been abandoned.

In addition, a British Milers’ Club elite meeting at Lee Valley was cancelled only 48 hours before it was due to take place on Saturday January 30. Efforts to move the fixture on to various weekends in February also fell flat with the BMC citing “too much red tape” and not enough time for Enfield Council to approve the event.

For the micro meetings on February 20-21, UKA say all athletes and coaches will receive an invitation by January 29 and must respond by February 1.

A revised selection policy for Torun is set to be released and the governing body adds: “British Athletics are committed to delivering these events as they are important preparation for the whole of 2021. However, please be aware that the local pandemic conditions may require changes to plans.

“The events are no longer designated as a British Championships and no medals will be awarded.”