Oxfordshire's athletics stars Lawrence Clarke and Hannah England have suffered a blow to their Olympic 2016 hopes after missing out out on national funding.

UK Athletics, the national governing body of British Athletics, yesterday announced who it would be supporting through its World Class Performance Programme (WCPP) for 2015-16.

And 110m hurdler Clarke, from Christmas Common, near Watlington, and Oxford City middle-distance runner England, who have both previously received funding, have not been included.

WCPP selection, which is funded by the National Lottery through UK Sport, is based on the potential to win medals at either an Olympic Games or Paralympic Games.

UK Athletics have invited 21 athletes to join its Olympic podium programme and 25 to the Paralympic equivalent.


A further 29 Olympic and 27 Paralympic athletes have been offered the opportunity to join podium potential programmes.

Clarke, who came fourth at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, missed out on reaching the final of the IAAF World Championships in Beijing in August.

The 25-year-old won the 110m hurdles at the Sainsbury’s British Championships in Birmingham in July, while he took third at the European Athletics Team Championships to help Great Britain & Northern Ireland finish fifth overall.

Clarke hired Frenchman Samba-Koundy Giscardas as his new coach last month and now trains in Paris.

Middle-distance runner England, who has been suffering with illness for most of the year, chose to finish her season in July after coming eighth at the Sainsbury’s British Championships in Birmingham.

The 28-year-old, who won silver at the 2011 World Championships in Daegu and represented Britain at London 2012, has produced some below-par performances this year.

Despite winning the 1,500m at the Cardiff Met Grand Prix in February, she came sixth in the 3,000m at the Sainsbury’s Indoor British Championships in Sheffield and has struggled at Diamond League meetings in America.

Neither was available to comment on their cut in funding.