16 February 2009
CHRISTINE OHURUOGU will be one of six reigning Olympic and eight reigning world champions competing in a star studded Aviva Grand Prix in Birmingham on Saturday.
The world 400m gold medallist from Osaka in 2007 and Olympic champion from Beijing last year is set to compete over 60m and 200m at the showcase National Indoor Arena meeting.
Two more world and Olympic champions will travel to Birmingham, Russian pole vaulter Yelena Isinbayeva and Ethiopia’s distance running sensation Tirunesh Dibaba.
A further three Olympic gold medallists from Beijing will also be in action. Kenya’s Wilfred Bungei will compete over 800m while heptathlon champion Natalya Dobrynska of the Ukraine will take part in a specially arranged three event challenge with against local favourite Kelly Sotherton.
Yulia Chermoshanskaya, part of the Russian 4x100m relay gold medal winning quartet will start in the 200m.
Two more title winners from the last outdoor world championships will compete including Bahrain’s Maryam Jamal in the women’s 1500m.
American Bernard Lagat – the 1500m and 5000m champion from Osaka will run over 1500m in Birmingham.
The list of global champions will be completed by three confirmed gold medallists from the last indoor world championships in Valencia last year.
Canadian Tyler Christopher runs in the 400m, America’s Angela Williams heads a strong women’s 60m line up, while her compatriot Lolo Jones goes in the women’s 60m hurdles.
Britain’s world indoor triple jump champion Phillips Idowu will assess the knee injury that kept him out of the weekend’s Aviva Trials before confirming his participation in Birmingham.
Tickets for the Aviva Grand Prix at the NIA, Birmingham on Saturday 21st February are available by phone on 08000 556 056 or online at www.uka.org.uk
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