Rio Olympics: Christine Ohuruogu and Jo Pavey included in Great Britain squad

British women part of an 80-strong team heading to Brazil for next month's Games

Christine Ohuruogu has been included in the British squad for the 400m, eight years after taking gold over the distance in Beijing (Getty)

Christine Ohuruogu has been given the chance to bid for a third straight Olympic 400 metres medal and Jo Pavey the opportunity to make history at a fifth Games after both were included in the Great Britain team for next month's event in Rio.

Ohuruogu, who took 400m gold eight years ago in Beijing and silver at London 2012, won her battle for an individual spot with Anyika Onuora, who has to make do with a relay place. Pavey, the 42-year-old mother of two, will become the first British track athlete to compete in five Games after getting the nod in the 10,000m ahead of Kate Avery in an 80-strong team.

Reigning Olympic champions Mo Farah (5,000m and 10,000m), Jessica Ennis-Hill (heptathlon) and Greg Rutherford (long jump) will once again lead Britain's medal charge in Brazil.

The women's 400m was perhaps the biggest dilemma for the selectors. Ohuruogu is a proven championship performer, but is battling to return to top form after a virus and was beaten to bronze by Onuora at last week's European Championships in Amsterdam. Both women felt they had done enough to deserve the spot, but it appears the Londoner's status as a three-time global champion, as well as the fact she had to race three times in Holland compared to her rival's two and her time in the semi-final there (51.35 seconds) was faster than Onuora has run this year, proved decisive.

Pavey's Olympic bid had been hampered by a chest infection and going into the Europeans her chances looked bleak, but a brilliant run in the Dutch capital - the fastest by a Briton over 10,000m this year - earned her the qualifying time and a seat on the plane to Rio. Avery, at 24, had the status of the potential future star, but Pavey's time in Amsterdam was more than 37 seconds quicker than her young rival has run in 2016, more than meriting her inclusion. “So happy to be selected for my fifth Olympic Games,” Pavey tweeted.

As expected, Chijindu Ujah was handed the final 100m spot over Richard Kilty, who will compete only in the relay, while Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake will race over 200m after Zharnel Hughes' hopes were crushed by a knee injury. Andy Vernon, who has endured a public feud with Farah, will race alongside the double Olympic champion over 10,000m a year after his controversial omission from the World Championships squad. There is no place for Jenny Meadows in the 800m, signalling the end of her impressive international career.

British Athletics performance director Neil Black said: “I'm very excited by this group of athletes and what I think we can achieve in Rio. This is the best prepared and arguably strongest team we have ever selected. We believe the world class level of performances this group can achieve will see us challenging for a number of places on the podium.“

Ennis-Hill is looking to cap a remarkable return by defending her heptathlon title two years after giving birth to her son Reggie. "Everything's coming together now and I'm feeling good," she said. "Training over the past few weeks has been going really well and it's been good to be back in the competitive environment recently. There's still some time left before Rio to put some work in as well. London was an incredible experience and the two journeys to London and Rio have been completely different, which I've really enjoyed. If I was able to defend my title in Rio it will certainly be one of my greatest achievements.“

Britain's athletes won six medals at London 2012, including four golds, and - after a team missing the likes of Farah and Ennis-Hill returned from the Europeans with 16 medals, including five victories - they will be hoping for an even greater haul this time around, with the pressure on the relay teams to deliver, which did not happen in London.