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Farah to compete in Great North

Farah to compete in Great North

Farah to compete in Great North

World 5000m Champion Mo Farah, who also finished second over 10,000m at the recent IAAF World Championships in Daegu, can expect a massive home coming reception from fans when Great Britain take on the USA at the Great North CityGames on Saturday.

Farah will represent the Aviva Great Britain & Northern Ireland team over two miles in the annual Great North CityGames on the NewcastleGateshead Quaysides – a free event that offers spectators the unique opportunity to get up close and personal with some of the biggest names in athletics.

This year the host nation will face the mighty Team USA who will be fielding several of its gold medallists from Dageu.

However the home crowd will be willing Farah to steal the limelight after producing the two greatest ever distance running performances by a British athlete since the World Championships were first staged in 1983.

The 28-year-old is no stranger to the imaginative concept of street athletics; particularly the crowd-pleasing format of the Great North CityGames, which will be broadcast live by BBC Television from 1pm.

In 2006 and 2008 Farah claimed victories over a mile at the Tyneside venue. While in 2007 he recorded the fastest ever road 3,000m performance by a British athlete, winning in 7 minutes 57 seconds.

“I’m looking forward to returning to Newcastle for the Great North CityGames,” said Farah, who is already back in training after his epic displays in Korea. “I won races there in 2006, 2007 and 2008 and will look to get another victory on the quayside this year.

“I’m always happy to run for my country and will try my best to make sure we beat them in the team competition.

“I’ve had a great reception since coming back from Daegu and I hope the crowds come out to cheer us on next Saturday.”

No matter the result, around 54,000 thousand cheering runners will welcome Farah to Sunday’s Bupa Great North Run, as he officially starts the 2011 event. Proving to be an extremely popular choice with competitors, the assembled crowds will be hoping his legendary determination and endurance will inspire their own performance on the day.

Also included in the Aviva Norwich Union GB & NI team will be Hannah England who claimed the world silver medal at the1500m event and 110m hurdles bronze medallist Andy Turner, who will be competing against David Oliver and World Champion Jason Richardson from the USA.

Although Oliver has, on the majority of occasions, beaten the European champion, the British star narrowly got the verdict over him in a photo-finish to snatch third position in Daegu.

ends.

Great North CityGames, NewcastleGateshead Quaysides, Saturday 17th September
Aviva Great Britain & Northern Ireland versus Team USA – Line Up

Aviva Norwich Union GB&NI Team

Men
100m                     Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Christian Malcolm
110mH       William Sharman, Andy Turner
150m                      Marlon Devonish, James Ellington
1 Mile:                     Andrew Osagie, Bruce Raeside

2 Mile:                     Mo Farah, Jonny Mellor, Andy Vernon, James Wilkinson

Long Jump Ezekiel Ewulo, JJ Jegede

Women
100mH       Ashley Helsby, Sara McGreavy
150m                      Anyika Onuora, Abi Oyepitan
1 Mile                      Hannah England, Jenny Meadows, Emma Pallant
Pole Vault   Holly Bleasdale, Lucy Bryan

Team USA
Men
100                         Ivory Williams, Jeff Porter
150                         Walter Dix, Maurice Mitchell
2 Miles                    Scott Bauhs, A J Acosta, Brian Olinger, Jeff See
110h                       David Oliver, Jason Richardson
Long Jump             Dwight Phillips, Jeremy Hicks

Women
150                         Carmelita Jeter, Virginia Crawford
100H                       Dawn Harper, Danielle Carruthers
PV                          April Steiner Bennett, Becky Holliday
1 Mile                      Gabriel Anderson