Asher-Smith, Neita, Bradshaw and Caudery take to the European stage

Withdrawals from the GB men’s team include World men’s 100m bronze medallist Zharnel Hughes who has cited focusing on training for Paris for his absence, as has one-lap wonder Matthew Hudson-Smith who secured a blistering European 400m record at the Oslo Diamond League on 30 May, lowering his own mark to 44.07.

Hot property Josh Kerr never planned to be in Rome and is continuing his preparations toward the “guaranteed” British medals in the 1500m in Paris that he’s promised courtesy of either himself, Jake Wightman, the 2022 1500m World champion, or Neil Gourley, with only the latter of that trio competing in Rome.

Jeremiah Azu will take up the sprint baton for GB men competing in both the 100m and as part of the 4x100m team defending their European title from Munich 2022.

Dina Asher-Smith, the 2019 World champion in 200m, will take to the 100m in both the individual event and the relay, joining fellow quick-stepper Daryll Neita in the 4x100m, in which they are both Olympic bronze medallists. Neita, the second fastest British woman over 100m behind Asher-Smith, will also compete in the 200m.

A fascinating head-to-head will play out as Olympic pole vault bronze medallist from the last Games in Japan, Holly Bradshaw returns to the fray after a torrid time with mental and physical health. She’ll take on compatriot and World Indoor champion and world leader Molly Caudery who is eyeing a first Olympic Games to Bradshaw’s incredible fourth.

Twins Laviai Nielsen and Lina Nielsen, fresh from winning a first-ever longed-for international relay medal together with World indoor bronze in the 4x400m in March, will compete in their respective 400m, and 400m hurdles, disciplines.

Jessie Knight who was also in the line-up that secured a British record in Glasgow, is also competing in Rome alongside Lina over the barrier-filled one-lap race.

Andrew Pozzi makes a welcome return to the international scene after enlisting the help of one Colin Jackson, the two-time 110m hurdles world champion, in a bid for a place on the start line in France.

With the Olympic Qualifying Time secured in May, with his fastest time in four years of 13.23s, the three-time Olympian will be hoping for a romantic interlude in France this summer with his long-term partner… one Katarina Johnson-Thompson.