The UK Athletics Indoor Championships 2026 begin on February 14 at Birmingham's Utilita Arena, featuring top British athletes aiming for qualification to the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Poland. Stars including Keely Hodgkinson, Amy Hunt, Josh Kerr, and title defender Hannah Nuttall are set to compete over two days. The event holds added significance without an Olympic or outdoor world championships this year.
The UK Athletics Indoor Championships 2026 take place on February 14-15 at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham, serving as a key qualifier for the World Athletics Indoor Championships in Kujawy Pomorze, Poland, from March 20-22. With no Olympic Games or outdoor World Championships scheduled for 2026, the indoor season carries extra weight for British athletes seeking to build momentum.
On Saturday, February 14, the action starts at 11:15 GMT with the women's 60m round 1, followed by men's 60m, women's pole vault final, and more events up to the women's 1500m round 1 at 18:55 GMT. Highlights include Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson running only the 800m heats to preserve energy for upcoming competitions, Amy Hunt competing in the 60m after her Tokyo silver, and Josh Kerr targeting qualification in the 3000m. Georgia Hunter Bell will race the 1500m, while Ben Pattison aims to secure another world medal spot.
Sunday's schedule features the men's long jump final at 11:30 GMT, high jump, 200m rounds, and concludes with the women's 400m final at 15:54 GMT. Hannah Nuttall, the defending 3000m champion, enters the 15-lap race on Sunday after her fourth-fastest British 3000m time of 8:32.94 at the Millrose Games. Coached by Helen Clitheroe, Nuttall finished eighth in the 5000m at last summer's World Championships in Tokyo. She expressed confidence, stating, “Tokyo gave me a lot of confidence by showing me I can compete with the best in the world.” On her training, she added, “I had a great winter with a lot of volume, tempo’s and hills – it was the perfect foundation really.” Nuttall aims to repeat her victory against athletes like Laura Muir and hopes to podium with training partners Elise Thorner and Eloise Walker.
The championships will be streamed live on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app, with tickets available from £10. Nuttall, who lived in Birmingham for two years, praised the venue: “I love these championships and the 3000m is my favourite event. The atmosphere is always amazing.” Looking ahead, she targets revising her 3000m and 5000m bests, with potential appearances at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and European Championships in Birmingham.
