Sainsbury’s Birmingham Indoor GP updates, from EME News

BIRMINGHAM (GBR): British stars Mo Farah (2 miles) and Greg Rutherford (long jump) both first competition indoors in 2015 will be headliners at the Birmingham Sainsbury´s Indoor Grand Prix on Saturday (IAAF Indoor Permit). Dina Asher-Smith is facing in the 60 m world leader Murielle Ahoure, Jenny Meadows in the 800 m Iceland talent Anita Hinriksdottir. Tiffany Porter goes over the hurdles against fast US sprinter Sharika Nelvis. Another British favorite is Nigel Levine in the 400 m. World leader Kim Collins over 60 m and Olympic winner Aries Merritt at 60 m hurdles are the favorites here. Great 1500 m is expected from Millrose winner Matt Centrowitz against Nixon Chepseba (former WL holder) and fresh from Stockholm PB Bethwell Birgen. US favorites Shannon Rowbury at the mile and Francena McCorory in the 400 m. Revenge from Stockholm in women pole vault Nikoleta Kyriakopoulou vs. Fabiana Murer. South African Andre Olivier is the fastest this year in men 800 m, open is the field in women 3000 m. In men high jump Chinese Zhang Guowei and Greek Antonis Mastoras are the ones with latest 230+ jumps. Canadian Christabel Nettey comes from Stockholm with WL and NR 699 in women long jump but she will face in-shape Briton Abigail Irozuru and World medalist Ivana Spanovic of Serbia. 

BIRMINGHAM (GBR): 60m world leader Kim Collins led a workshop at Alexander Stadium with 15 local children, inform British Athletics.  The sprinter from St Kitts and Nevis, who will compete at the Birmingham Grand Prix this weekend, answered the children’s questions on a wide range of subjects, including his experiences at major championships and nutrition. Collins is seeking his first win in Birmingham in his 9th appearance. He also has Justin Gatlin’s stadium record of 6.46 in his sights. He is unbeaten so far this indoor season.

BIRMINGHAM (GBR): Double World and Olympic champion Mo Farah is aiming to break his own British indoor 2 mile record tomorrow, while he also indicated that the world record could be a possibility, inform British Athletics. “This is my first race of 2015 and I’m excited and really looking forward to it,” said the 31 year old. “I’ve done some great training out there [in Ethiopia] so I just need to put it together. My first aim is to try and go for a British record and then I’ll see what I can do after that, maybe even go for Bekele’s time. If I can run the last lap fast then maybe, we’ll see.” Farah ran his PB of 8:08.07 at the meet in 2012 while Ethiopian great Kenenisa Bekele set the world record of 8:04.35 in Birmingham in 2008. Olympic long jump champion Greg Rutherford hopes to jump over 8 metres in what will be his only indoor meet this year. 

BIRMINGHAM (GBR): Both Andy Vernon and Mo Farah have apologised after their argument on Twitter, report AW. “I do apologise for the way I reacted and I shouldn’t have reacted that way,” said Farah, the double World and Olympic champion. Vernon said that the original comment had been made as a joke, and said, “If he (Farah) did take it out of context it wasn’t meant that way and I apologise.” Farah explained that the reason he reacted strongly to Vernon’s joke was because, following Zurich 2014, Vernon had implied that Farah should not be European champion because he was born in Africa. However, Vernon responded by saying that Farah’s comments to the media about what happened in Zurich were misrepresentative of what actually happened.

BIRMINGHAM (GBR): World Indoor champion Richard Kilty withdrew from Birmingham and Malmo meets due to minor back problems. He hopes to be selected for the European Indoor Championships where he should be ok to attack the podium. “We spoke with my coach Linford Christie that it would be better to withdrew from both meets, get fully healthy and ready for Prague,” said Kilty who aims to repeat his success from Sopot in Czech Republic.