LEWIS Moses will make his major championship debut in Istanbul next month after being confirmed in the British squad for the World Indoor Athletics Championships that was named yesterday.

Darlington-born Moses, who equalled his lifetime personal best for the 1,500m at Birmingham last weekend, has been rewarded for an impressive winter campaign that has seen him catapult himself up the British rankings and into contention for a place at this summer's Olympics.

The New Marske Harrier won the UK indoor trials at Sheffield at the start of the month and is part of a 39-strong British squad that will compete in Turkey between March 9-11.

“It's great to be heading to my first major championships,” said Moses, who is a former pupil at Longfield Academy. “I probably didn't expect this to have come so soon, but I've started the season fairly well and the run at the trials was obviously the clincher.

“I moved down to Loughborough a while ago to concentrate on my athletics, and that move has paid off.

“The first challenge will be to get through the heats, but having looked at previous times, I think I have a chance. My style tends to be suited to running in championships rather than against the clock and I just need to put myself into a position where I'm still in with a chance going into the finish.”

City of York's Richard Buck will also feature in Istanbul after being selected for both the individual 400m and the 4x400m relay.

Like Moses, 25-year-old Buck has sprung to prominence in recent months, earning him a chance to follow up the bronze medal he won at last year's European Indoors in Paris.

Buck only finished third at the UK trials, but his selection has been prompted by his performance in last weekend's Aviva Grand Prix, where he set a new personal best of 45.88secs, at the time the sixth-fastest time in the world this year.

The British team will be spearheaded by outdoor world champions Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis. Farah will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing defeat over two miles at the weekend, while Ennis, who will compete in the pentathlon, will hope to maintain the stellar form that saw her run the fastest 60m hurdles in the world this year last Saturday.

Dwain Chambers will compete in the 60m, while pole vaulter Holly Bleasdale should have a decent chance of claiming a gold medal after moving to second on the all-time world list with an indoor clearance of 4.87m in Lyon last month.

GREAT BRITAIN SQUAD:

Men: 60m - Dwain Chambers, Andy Robertson, 400m - Nigel Levine, Richard Buck, 800m – Joe Thomas, Andrew Osagie, 1,500m – Lewis Moses, James Brewer, 3,000m – Mo Farah, 60m hurdles – Andy Pozzi, High Jump – Samson Oni, Robbie Grabarz, Pole Vault – Steve Lewis, Andrew Sutcliffe, Long Jump – JJ Jegede, 4x400m – Nigel Levine, Richard Buck, Conrad Williams, Michael Bingham, James Forman, Luke Lennon.

Women: 60m – Asha Philip, Jodie Williams, 400m – Shana Cox, Nadine Okyere, 800m – Marilyn Okoro, 3,000m – Helen Clitheroe, 60m hurdles – Tiffany Porter, Pole Vault – Holly Bleasdale, Katie Byres, Long Jump – Shara Proctor, Triple Jump – Yamile Aldama, Pentathlon – Jessica Ennis, 4x400m – Shana Cox, Nadine Okyere, Nicola Sanders, Christine Ohuruogu, Perri Shakes-Drayton, Laura Langowski.