American sprint ace Tyson Gay is set to compete at this year’s Great City Games in Manchester on May 16.
Also on the card to compete at the meeting that attracted the world’s fastest man, Usain Bolt of Jamaica last season, are Great Britain’s double world champion Jessica Ennis, and fellow countrywoman and Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu.
Gay, the world silver medallist over 100m from the Berlin World Championships last summer, and the second fastest man over the distant, is yet to decide on which event he will race in.
But the American said: “I’m really looking forward to coming to Manchester for the Great CityGames. Taking athletics out of the stadium and on to the streets is an idea that has caught people’s imagination, including mine.”
Men’s races on the cards are 100m, 150m, 200m, 110m hurdles and 200m hurdles, while the women’s programme has races over 100m, 150m, 200m and 100m hurdles.
Ennis, who recently won the world indoor pentathlon title – adding to the heptathlon gold medal she won in Berlin last year, will compete over 150 metres on a specially-erected track in the city’s Deansgate. and she is looking forward to running.
“A flat-out 150m against world-class opposition will be a perfect preparation for Jessica and I know she intends giving it everything on the streets of Manchester,” said Andy Caine, elite athletes manager for the meeting.
“She is the first big name to commit herself to the 150m and I can confirm we have still to add another couple of top athletes to the field.”
Last year Bolt set a world record of 14.35 seconds over 150m despite the cold and rainy conditions.
By Gary Smith, World-Track
