TROWBRIDGE sprinter Danny Talbot has been handed a second significant boost ahead of this weekend's Olympic trials.

Talbot, who comfortably won the men's U23 200m at the Aviva England Athletics U23 & U20 Championships in Bedford at the weekend, clocking 20.91, has been included in a provisional 109-strong Great Britain team for the upcoming European Championships in Helsinki, announced by UK Athletics today.

Talbot has been named for his specialist 200m event, as well as the 4x100m relay, in which he also harbours hopes of an Olympic place.

There is no place in the 1500m for Chippenham's Dave Bishop, who also battles for an Olympic place at the trials this weekend.

The team will be significantly reduced in size following this weekend's Olympic trials in Birmingham, after which any track athletes already gaining automatic qualification for Team GB for the Games will be de-selected in order to focus on their preparations for London.

However, field event athletes will be permitted to compete in Helsinki if it is felt they would benefit from the additional competition, while athletes still seeking Olympic qualifying standards and 5,000 metres world champion Mo Farah could also compete in the Finnish capital.

This year's European Championships will take place in an Olympic year for the first time, following the decision by European Athletics to take the competition into a biennial cycle from 2012 onwards.

The final Aviva GB & NI team for the event, which takes place from June 27 to July 1, will be confirmed on June 25.

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