Manchester may be the venue, but Osaka will be the city in mind for scores of athletes competing at this weekend’s Norwich Union World Trials and UK Championships. 

The IAAF World Championships get underway in one month’s time and the three days worth of action at the Manchester Regional Arena present the prime opportunity for athletes to stake their claim for a place in the Norwich Union GB & NI  team set for Japan.

Quite simply, athletes finishing in the top two of each event, who have the A qualifying standard for that event and who have demonstrated genuinely competitive form and fitness will be selected for this summer’s major athletics championship.

Among those in the line up are some of the UK’s biggest stars of this summer, such as Marlon Devonish (100m, 200m), Phillips Idowu (triple jump), Nicola Sanders (400m), Mo Farah (5000m), Michael Rimmer (800m), Andy Baddeley (1500m), Jo Pavey (5000m) and Jessica Ennis (high jump, 100m hurdles).

They will be joined by some of the emerging talents who shone so brightly at the recent international age-group championships, including World Youth 100m gold medallist Asha Philip, European under 20 1500m silver medallist Stephanie Twell, European under 23 100m gold medallist Simeon Williamson.

For the full timetable click here and for up-to-date start lists click here.