Manchester Diaries: Great CityGames and GreatRun 10k are going on

MANCHESTER (GBR): Strong fields have been assembled for the Great City Games in Manchester which will be staged across Deansgate and Albert Square. World long jump champion Greg Rutherford will open his outdoor season where he will face Olympic finalist Emiliano Lasa from Uruguay while former world and Olympic 100m hurdles champion Sally Pearson heads a strong line-up which also includes Norway’s Isabelle Pederson and British Olympic finalists Cindy Ofili and Tiffany Porter. In the men’s 110m hurdles, Olympic silver medallist Orlando Ortega is the favourite while Olympic 400m hurdles fourth-placer Thomas Barr goes head-to-head with in-form Jack Green in the 200m hurdles. In the flat events, Asha Philip and Desiree Henry go head-to-head in the women’s 100m, Kim Collins faces fellow sub-10 performers James Dasaolu and Joel Fearon in the men’s 100m while European indoor 60m champion Richard Kilty steps up to contest the 150m. Holly Bradshaw is the standout name in the pole vault.

MANCHESTER (GBR): The Great Run Company communications director David Hart has said the decision to allow the Great City Games and Great Manchester Run to go ahead less than a week after Monday night’s terrorist attack at Manchester Arena was strongly endorsed by the local authorities, informs Athletics Weekly. “Ultimately it wasn’t the decision of The Great Run Company, it was the decision of Greater Manchester Police and Manchester City Council and really, from the morning after the night before, it seemed to be from them a question of not if it goes ahead but how,” he said. Sally Pearson added: “I’m glad that the Manchester City Council wanted to continue on with this competition because it means that they want everyone to stay as they are, not let the terrorists win, and carry on with daily life. I think that’s important.”