23 January 2013

Athletes pulling on the British vest for the first time since London 2012 will face tough opposition from a host of World, Olympic and European medallists from the USA, Germany, Russia and a Commonwealth Select team at the British Athletics Glasgow International Match on Saturday 26th January. The British team will look to defend the title they won in 2012 when they compete at the new state of the art 5,000 seat Emirates Arena.

Britain’s Olympic 800m finalist and World Indoor bronze medallist Andrew Osagie (coach: Craig Winrow) will go head-to-head with World 400m hurdles champion Dai Greene (Malcolm Arnold), representing the Commonwealth, over 600m.

Both athletes will have their sights set on Ikem Billy’s 28 year old British indoor 600m record of 1:17.6 as Greene competes over 600m for the first time since 2006 and Osagie moves down from his usual 800m distance. However, USA’s Duane Solomon, who finished fourth in the 800m at the Olympics last summer, could pose a threat to both athletes in what will be one of the most exciting events of the weekend. 

“It’s going to be really interesting to test myself in the 600m, it is the first race of the season and shorter than my normal distance but it is great to race over different distances and will give me an idea of where my speed is at, it will be my first time to race a 600m, so I’m sure to get a PB no matter what. The prospect of going up against Dai (Greene) is also something I’m really looking forward to, so hopefully we can give the crowd a great race at the Emirates Arena.”

Multiple world and Olympic medallist Bernard Lagat will lead the contenders in the men’s 3000m. The 38 year old is joined by former junior world record holder for 3000m and world indoor silver medallist Augustine Choge. British interest comes from Andy Vernon (Nic Bideau), who will be looking to build on his win at the McCain Cardiff Cross Challenge last weekend. 

In the men’s 60m, 2010 World Indoor champion Dwain Chambers (Rana Reider) takes on 2003 100m World Champion Kim Collins of St. Kitts & Nevis, and American Mike Rodgers, who finished second to Chambers in Doha in 2010.

Olympic bronze medallist Robbie Grabarz (Fayyaz Ahmed), captain of the British team on Saturday, faces Russia’s World Indoor silver medallist Alexey Dmitrik in the high jump. Matthew Centrowitz, the 2011 World Championship 1500m bronze medallist, will take on Kenyan Bethwel Birgen, a 3:31.00 performer outdoors, and British youngster Charlie Grice (Jon Bigg) in the 1500m.

Chris Brown, who won gold as part of the Bahamas’ 4x400m relay team at the London Olympics will be challenged by American Manteo Mitchell, who won 4x400m silver in London and 4x400m gold at the World Indoor Championships in Istanbul. British representation in this event comes from Nigel Levine (Linford Christie), who won World Indoor Championship silver as part of the British 4x400m relay team.

In the 60m hurdles, Britain’s Gianni Frankis (Tony Jarrett) will face European champion Sergey Shubenkov of Russia and Jeff Porter, husband of British athlete Tiffany Porter, will also line up representing the USA.

On the women’s side, Carmelita Jeter, the second fastest woman of all time over 100m, will headline the 60m. She will take on a strong field including Germany’s European champion Verena Sailer and is keen to make a positive start to her 2013 season.

“The British Athletics Glasgow International Match will give me a real opportunity to see if my training is going as well as I think it is in the early stages of my season.”

European silver medallist Lynsey Sharp (Terrence Mahon) will face Olympic bronze medallist Ekaterina Poistogova in the 800m. World silver medallist Danielle Carruthers also steps out for the USA team in the women’s 60m hurdles as she gets her 2013 campaign underway. 

Britain’s two best female 400m hurdlers will go head to head in the 400m flat on Saturday. Perri Shakes-Drayton (Chris Zah), part of the gold medal winning British 4x400m relay team at the World Indoor Championships last March, runs for Great Britain whilst Scottish Commonwealth Games silver medallist Eilidh Child (Malcolm Arnold) will compete for the Commonwealth Select. They will also face five times World and Olympic gold medallist Natasha Hastings of the USA.

40 year old World Indoor triple jump champion Yamile Aldama (Frank Attoh) will take on fellow veteran Trecia Smith of Jamaica, competing for the Commonwealth, who won World Championship gold in 2005 and Commonwealth Games gold in 2006 and 2010. Also competing for the Commonwealth Select team is Scotland’s three time Olympian Lee McConnell (Rodger Harkins) who takes on Britain’s Margaret Adeoye (Linford Christie), Germany’s Inna Weit, Olga Belkina of Russia and American Cambrya Jones in the 200m.

In the first disability events ever to be held in the British Athletics Glasgow International Match’s 25 year history, Libby Clegg (Keith Antoine), who won silver in the T12 100m in London, will headline the T11/12 60m event and Stef Reid (Keith Antoine), who won Paralympic silver in the F44 long jump, will compete in a competitive F44/46 long jump field.

Three members of the British gold medal winning T37 4x100m relay team from London, Olivia Breen (Leroy Elliott), Katrina Hart (Robert Ellchuk) and Jenny McLoughlin (Darrell Maynard), will all line up over 60m in Glasgow. T46 100m Paralympic bronze medallist Ola Abidogun (Stephen Thomas) will also take on a world class field in the T46 60m.

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