11 March 2008

UK Athletics has unveiled the programme for the revamped Norwich Union London Grand Prix, promising to make the event the strongest meeting anywhere in the world this year.

The Crystal Palace showpiece event will take place over two days this summer for the first time since 1985. It is hoped that the attraction of a host of potential British and overseas Olympic medallists will ensure the biggest crowd for a British grand prix meeting in more than 50 years.

An ‘early bird’ offer launched this week is also offering 20 per cent off any ticket bought before March 24.

With a total of 34,000 tickets available over the two days the potential total audience would be the biggest at a grand prix meeting in the UK since the White City events in the 1950s

UK Athletics chief executive Niels de Vos said: “We already have a great event in the Norwich Union London Grand Prix, but this year we will make it better than ever.

“It is our firm belief that there will not be a stronger athletics meeting anywhere other than at the Olympics themselves this summer,

“And what the two-day format allows is twice as many people as usual the chance to watch what is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the British sporting summer and give GB athletes the best possible send off to Beijing.”

The extended format will allow almost a complete programme of male and female track races, including 100m, 200m and 400m sprints for both men and women, the historic Emsley Carr Mile, and two track events for Paralympic athletes.

Sprint relays for both men and women is likely to see the mouth-watering prospect of a GB v USA clash in the men’s event, just a fortnight before the teams again do battle in Olympic competition.

A four-event challenge for women should provide the perfect pre-Beijing platform for British medal hopes Kelly Sotherton and Jessica Ennis.

The full schedule (subject to change) is:

Friday July 25: Men – 100m (heats & final), 800m, 3000m, 110m hurdles, high jump, triple jump, shot, T46 800m, T54 1500m.

Women – 200m, 400m, 1500m, 3000m steeplechase, 400m hurdles, pole vault, 4x100m relay, four-event challenge (100m hurdles & long jump)

Saturday July 26: Men – 200m, 400m, mile, 400m hurdles, pole vault, long jump, 4x100m

Women – 100m, 800m, 3000m, 100m hurdles, high jump, javelin, four-event challenge (shot & 600m)

It was also confirmed today that Gateshead has secured the right to host the Norwich Union British Grand Prix until 2008. This year’s meeting on August 31 will be the first major event to take place after the Beijing Olympics.

Tickets for the UK Athletics outdoor major events are available by phone on 08000 556 056 or online at www.ukathletics.net/tickets/ with a 20 per cent discount running from now until March 24 by quoting, PRESSM20.