31 December 2014

Great Britain’s European 110m hurdles silver medallist William Sharman (coach: Jerzy Maciukiewicz) will face the last two Olympic 110m hurdles champions over 60m hurdles at the Sainsbury’s Indoor Grand Prix on Saturday 21 February.

Sharman, who finished second in the 110m hurdles at both the European Championships in Zurich and Commonwealth Games in Glasgow last summer, will go up against world record holder and 2012 Olympic champion Aries Merritt as well as Dayron Robles, Olympic champion from Beijing in 2008.

Reigning world indoor 60m hurdles champion Omo Osaghae of the USA will also compete, meaning that the last three winners of the world indoor title will be part of a world class field at Birmingham’s Barclaycard Arena.

After finishing seventh in the 2014 World Indoor Championships with a personal best of 7.53, Sharman is hoping to continue his impressive form into 2015 when he makes his first visit to the Barclaycard Arena for eight years.

He said: “I always enjoy competing in Birmingham but I’ve never ran at the Sainsbury’s Indoor Grand Prix so I’m really looking forward to it. It will be such a strong line-up that it could easily be a global final and I’m excited about testing myself against the best in the world ahead of the European Indoor Championships.”

American Merritt, who ran a time of 12.80 in 2012 to break Robles’ world record by seven hundredths of a second, is looking forward to competing in the city where he won the Sainsbury’s Indoor Grand Prix in 2011.

Merritt said: “The Sainsbury’s Indoor Grand Prix is an important meet for me in preparation for my main goal of the World Championships in the summer. I’m hoping to go there and find my best form to put on a good show for the fans. Birmingham is one of my favourite places to compete, the crowd is great and this event always gets the best out of the athletes.”

Robles, winner at this event in 2010 and the second fastest man ever over 60m hurdles with a best time of 7.33, said: “The Sainsbury’s Indoor Grand Prix is one of the best indoor meetings in the world and I have great memories from competing at this event in 2010 and 2012, I’m sure that it will be amazing again in February.”

Double Olympic, world and European champion Mo Farah (Alberto Salazar), European 100m champion James Dasaolu (Steve Fudge), world junior champion Dina Asher-Smith (John Blackie), Commonwealth and European silver medallist Jodie Williams (Christine Bowmaker), three-time world champion Carmelita Jeter and Murielle Ahoure have already confirmed that they will compete at the 2015 Sainsbury’s Indoor Grand Prix.

For tickets to the Sainsbury’s Indoor Grand Prix visit britishathletics.org.uk. Sainsbury’s is proud to be a long-term supporter of British Athletics and a champion of inclusive sport for all, from grassroots to elite level.