World Athletics Championships: Britain’s best medal hopes

Great Britain’s medal prospects are in the final countdown to the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, which start on Saturday.

They won seven medals but just one gold – Jake Wightman’s shock 1500m triumph – at last year’s rearranged edition in Eugene and will be looking to improve on that tally.

Here we look at some of those who will be challenging for the podium in Hungary and their World Athletics Championships betting odds.

Zharnel Hughes

The fastest man in the world this year, Hughes is in the form of his life. He broke Linford Christie’s 30-year 100m record by running 9.83 seconds in New York in June.

Just a month later he broke John Regis’ 200m record – clocking 19.73 seconds – at the London Diamond League. His sights are now set on a first individual world medal, having claimed 200m European gold last year after 2018’s 100m European victory.

The 100m and 200m fields remain open. Defending 200m champion Noah Lyles and 100m holder Fred Kerley, along with Trayvon Bromell and Erriyon Knighton, will all fancy their chances, but Hughes can challenge.

In the World Athletics Championships betting odds he is 5/1 to win gold in the 100m and 12/1 for glory over the longer distance.

Laura Muir

The Scot – named Great Britain’s captain on Tuesday – suffered a shock defeat in the 1500m at the British Championships last month when she finished second to Katie Snowden.

Muir, who has won Olympic and World silver, split with long-term coach Andy Young earlier this year and has been coached by Steve Vernon in the build up to Budapest.

She was clearly upset after defeat in Manchester but has the experience and composure to recover and reach the podium this month having said she is now competing happy. Muir is 33/1 to win gold.

Daryll Neita/Dina Asher-Smith

Great Britain have a duo who, although they downplay their rivalry, can create some serious headlines.

Neita has beaten Asher-Smith – the 2019 world champion – over 200m this year as she gets to grips with the event, while Asher-Smith remains one of the world’s best.

Neita’s decision to move to Italy under coach Marco Airale has paid off handsomely and she can now rival Asher-Smith to become number one.

Asher-Smith is seen as the best hope in the World Athletics Championship betting odds for the women’s 200m though and is 10/1 for victory while Neita is 25/1. Asher-Smith is also 10/1 in the betting for the women’s 100m while her compatriot is 80/1.

Keely Hodgkinson

The 21-year-old’s contest with Athing Mu and Mary Moraa for the 800m title could be one of the races of the Championships.

The United States’ Mu beat Hodgkinson to gold at the Olympics and last year’s Worlds, while Kenyan Moraa got the better of her in the Diamond League last month. Yet, this month, Mu’s coach admitted she had not committed to running in Hungary.

Hodgkinson, though, keeps improving and, having narrowed the gap on Mu last year, will be confident she can beat her this time around – if the American competes.

Hodgkinson is the 8/11 favourite in the women’s 800m odds at 8/11 with Moraa priced at 5/4.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson

The 2019 world heptathlon champion has had little luck since that glorious evening in Doha.

Covid postponed the 2020 Olympics just when she looked set to challenge Nafi Thiam for gold before an Achilles rupture later that year. She battled back to reach Tokyo, only for a calf injury to wreck her dreams in Japan but she did defend her Commonwealth title last year.

With defending champion Thiam out and Johnson-Thompson fit and ready, the podium is well within reach and the Brit is 9/1 for gold in the World Athletics Championships betting odds.

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All odds and markets correct as of date of publication