Luton runner Bakare earns Futures place

The 17-year-old Barnfield West Academy student, won gold in the 400m at the IAAF World Youth Junior Championships held in Ukraine this year.

The Futures Programme – which underpins the World Class Performance Programme (WCPP) – was created five years ago to provide more targeted support for young talented athletes and their coaches.

Bakare’s coach Jane Dixon said: “Sabrina and I are delighted to have been invited on to the Futures programme. It’s going to help us both so much over the next few years.

“Rio 2016 is very much in our plans, and with the help of The Futures programme it makes it more of a reality.

“It will be a stepping stone for our main goal which will be Tokyo 2020 where we intend to break records and come home with some gold.”

Five athletes previously supported by the 2012-13 Futures Programme have progressed to the 2013-14 World Class Performance Programme, including World 4x100m bronze medallist Dina Asher-Smith.

British Athletics head of coaching Peter Stanley said: “The British Athletics Futures Programme is evidently going strength to strength. Year on year we are seeing an encouraging number of athletes progressing onto the World Class Performance Programme.

“This year British Athletics is supporting our second highest intake of athlete and coach pairings since the inauguration of the Futures programme.

“We believe this is a strong group of talented athletes.

“The programme works closely with athletes and their coaches to provide the right support both on and off the track to improve their results and raise their profile.”

British Athletics’ development manager Jo Jennings added: “The aim of the Futures Programme is to support the next generation of champions and their coaches. “We are delighted to assist the 28 athletes and coach pairings with their development plans and aid their future success.

“By providing athletes financial assistance and medical support, as well as coach development funding, the programme will help athletes follow in the footsteps of previous Futures athletes such as Robbie Grabarz, Holly Bleasdale, Andrew Pozzi, Danny Talbot and Emelia Gorecka.

“Dina Asher-Smith is a role model for this group of Futures athletes. Only last year she was on this programme and now she is a World Championships bronze medallist on the World Class Performance Programme.

“By supporting pairs around their own programmes, allowing for more flexibility and better distribution of resources, this will be to the benefit of the sport in future years.”

British Athletics Futures Programme 2013-14: Sabrina Bakare (Jane Dixon), George Caddick (Clyde Hart/Dominic Tighe), Bobby Clay (Peter Mullervy), Harry Coppell (John Mitchell), Jonathan Davies (Rob McKim), Ojie Edoburun (Jonas Tawiah-Dodoo), Desiree Henry (Rana Reider), Jamie Higgins (Andi Drake), Matthew Hudson-Smith (Tony Hadley), Harry Hughes (Mike McNeill), Shannon Hylton (John Blackie), David King (James Hillier), Morgan Lake (Eldon Lake), Kyle Langford (George Harrison), Hayley McLean (Steve Mitchell), Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake

(Denis Shaver), David Omoregie (Mike Guest), Samuel Osewa (Leon Baptiste), Sophie Papps (Dan Cossins), Jacob Paul (Marina Armstrong), Nick Percy (John Hillier), Reece Prescod (Jonas Tawiah-Dodoo), Elliot Safo (John Shepherd), Feron Sayers (Femi Akinsanya), Zak Seddon (Jeff Seddon), Thomas Somers (Geoffrey Barraclough), Jake Wightman (Geoff Wightman), Alex Wright.