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Tokyo 2020: Who are Team GB's athletics medal hopefuls?

Tokyo 2020: Who are Team GB's athletics medal hopefuls?
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Asher-Smith was expected to challenge for medals in the 100m and 200m.

Dina Asher-Smith's injury nightmare has left Team GB without their biggest individual medal hope at the Tokyo Olympics.

Here, the PA news agency looks at the athletes who could boost Team GB in track and field.

Jemma Reekie – 800m

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games – Day Eight
Reekie reached the 800m final with ease (Mike Egerton/PA)

The 23-year old has been bullish about her chances and refused to roll back after an impressive semi final.

She was one of two athletes to go under two minutes in the heats – along with Jamaica's Natoya Goule – and went sub-two minutes again in the semis.

Trained by Laura Muir's coach Andy Young she is a major contender for a first senior medal and even victory.

Keely Hodgkinson – 800m

The 19-year-old's rapid rise has left her on the brink of Olympic stardom.

Hodgkinson beat Muir and Reekie to become British 800m champion in June to underline her potential.

She has taken the spotlight in her stride and it would be no surprise to see her on the podium.

Katarina Johnson-Thompson – heptathlon

Johnson-Thompson's injury battles are public now after she ruptured her Achilles in December and needed surgery.

The world champion has been successful just to make it to Tokyo after her recovery and lack of serious competitions this year.

She may not be in peak condition – and it will not be the titanic battle with defending champion Nafi Thiam which was expected last year – but she cannot be written off just yet.

Holly Bradshaw – pole vault

Muller British Athletics Championships 2021 – Day Two – Manchester Regional Arena
Holly Bradshaw set a new British record of 4.90m in June. (Martin Rickett/PA)

Her clearance of 4.90m at the British trials would have been enough to win a silver medal at the World Championship in 2019.

Bradshaw finished sixth at London 2012, fifth in Rio and fourth at the Worlds in Doha two years ago.

She has largely gone under the radar in terms of GB medal contenders but her experience could be key this year.

Josh Kerr

Muller British Athletics Championships 2021 – Day Two – Manchester Regional Arena
Josh Kerr beat Jake Wightman to the British title in Manchester. (Martin Rickett/PA)

The 23-year-old came sixth at the World Championships in Doha and has the potential to win in Japan.

He is making his Olympic debut and knocked a second off his personal best in June to post three minutes 31.55 seconds.

Team-mate Jake Wightman could also be in contention but needs to be in the sprint at the end to have a chance.

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Tokyo 2020: Key events to look forward to on day nine of the Olympics
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rhs 2.0
Olympic medal table header
CountryGold medalSilver MedalBronze MedalT
ChinaChina34241775
United StatesUnited States30352893
JapanJapan22101547
Great BritainGreat Britain18182056
Olympics flagRussian Olympic Committee17232262
Today's Olympic highlights header

Friday's key events


HOCKEY
· Great Britain's women aim to secure their place on the podium as they face India in the bronze medal match (2.30am)
· Netherlands - silver medallists five years ago - and Argentina battle for the gold medal in the women's final (11am)

BEACH VOLLEYBALL
· The women's gold medal will be decided as Australia and USA go head to head (3.30am)

BOXING
· Lauren Price will be looking to add to Team GB's success in the ring when she takes on Nouchka Fontijn of Netherlands in the women's middleweight semi-final (6am)

DIVING
· Tom Daley already has one Olympic gold to his name in Tokyo, and he begins his bid for second in the men's 10m platform. Teammate Noah Williams is also involved in the preliminary round (7am)

CYCLING
· Jason Kenny's reign as sprint king may be over, but Jack Carlin looked strong in his bid to succeed his compatriot. He takes on Harrie Lavreysen in his sprint semi-final (8.10am), with the final taking place later in the day (10.35am)
· The women's madison makes its Olympic debut at the velodrome as Team GB duo Katie Archibald and Laura Kenny look to add another medal to their collections (9.15am)

FOOTBALL
· Hosts Japan will look to get themselves on the podium as they face Mexico in the men's bronze medal match (10am)
· The women's champions will be crowned as both Sweden and Canada aim to win Olympic gold for the very first time (1pm)

ATHLETICS
· The men's 5000m final includes Great Britain's Andrew Butchart, but most eyes will be on Ugandan world record holder Joshua Cheptegei (1pm)
· Team GB's Jodie Williams will hope to get on the podium in the women's 400m final, but defending champ Shaunae Miller-Uibo is favourite for gold while Stephenie Ann McPherson should challenge and Allyson Felix is bidding to become the most decorated female track and field athlete of all time (1.35pm)
· Netherlands' Sifan Hassan takes on leg two of her ambitious attempt at a Tokyo treble in a women's 1500m final which also includes Great Britain's Laura Muir and Faith Kipyegon of Kenya (1.50pm)
· A star-studded women's 4x100m relay final will see a Team GB quartet including Dina Asher-Smith look to upset defending champions USA and favourites Jamaica, who boast Elaine Thompson-Herah as she goes for her third gold of the Games (2.30pm)
· Great Britain and Jamaica will also be going for gold in the men's 4x100m relay final, and their medal hopes have been boosted by USA's failure to qualify (2.50pm)

> Today's schedule in full
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