Double world 5000m champion, Hellen Obiri will clash with the Tokyo Olympic marathon champion, Peres Jepchirchir at the 41st edition of the Great North Run that will be held on Sunday (11) from Newcastle to South Shields in England.
Obiri defeated Commonwealth Games 10,000m champion Eilish McColgan, who will be performing the role of official starter this weekend, will battle for honors with Jepchirchir who is the two-time world half marathon champion and also the women-only half marathon world record-holder of 1:05.16.
The 32 year-old who will be defending her title, comes to this race with a personal best of 1:04.51 which is fourteen seconds faster that Jepchirchir’s.
The two will face-off with former Olympic 5000m and 10,000m champion Almaz Ayana from Ethiopia, who is making her come back after taking sabbatical leave and her fellow compatriot Hiwot Gebrekidan, who is the 2012 World Junior women’s 3000m Champion.
The home team will be led by with Jess Piasecki who comes to the race with a personal best of 1:07.20 that she got early this year at the 30a Mitja Marató Internacional Vila de Santa Pola, where she took the silver.
Four times European Cross Country Champion, Charlotte Purdue who also finished in third place last year has also been lined up to fight for the title as well as the European Indoor 3000m champion Amy Eloise Markovc who will be making her debut over the distance.
The race Organisers confirm half marathon showpiece will proceed on Sunday, with tributes planned to The Queen. Organisers of the Great North Run have confirmed that the half marathon showpiece will go ahead this coming Sunday (September 11), albeit with changes being made to the planned weekend of running in the North East of England. With alterations being made to the sporting calendar, in light of the passing of Her Majesty The Queen, there had been doubts as to whether or not the event would proceed.
The Great North 5k, due to incorporate the inaugural UK Athletics 5km Championships and set to take place this evening (September 9), has been cancelled, while this year’s Mini and Junior Great North Run has been postponed.
Facebook Comments