10 December 2015

Long jump world champion is on the shortlist for BBC Sports Personality of the Year and he will continue his preparations for Rio Olympics in the best single day of indoor athletics ever staged in Scotland

Greg Rutherford (coach: Dan Pfaff), Britain’s Olympic, World, European and Commonwealth long jump champion has targeted the Glasgow Indoor Grand Prix on Saturday 20 February as the perfect way to prepare to defend his Olympic title.

After a year in which he was crowned World Champion in Beijing to complete the ‘grand slam’ of international titles, Rutherford has targeted the Glasgow meeting as the ideal platform to launch his attempt to win his second Olympic Gold medal.

Rutherford has also recently been nominated for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award alongside fellow track and field athletes Mo Farah (Alberto Salazar) and Jessica Ennis-Hill (Toni Minichiello).

Rutherford said: “It’s a great honour to be nominated for Sports Personality of the Year alongside some amazing sportspeople. 2015 has been a great year for me with winning the World Championships to complete my grand slam and also winning the Diamond League title. But next year is another really important year for me to defend my Olympic title, the Glasgow Indoor Grand Prix will be my only indoor meeting in Europe and I can’t wait for it.

“The Indoor Grand Prix is consistently ranked as the number one indoor annual athletics event in the world and is moving to Glasgow for the very first time. It’s going to be special and is the perfect way for me to begin the countdown to the Olympic Games. High-class competition on home soil is a great way to start Olympic year.”

The British long jump record holder is looking forward to returning to the city where he won Commonwealth gold in 2014.

He added: “I’ve got really fond memories of Glasgow as it’s where I won the Commonwealth Games in 2014 and I’m looking forward to competing there again. I’ll never forget the amazing support from the Glasgow crowd and I’m sure the fans will be out in force again in February.”

The Glasgow Indoor Grand Prix will be the first major athletics event of an action packed 2016 season and a great opportunity to see world-class talent at such close quarters. With the Olympic Games in Rio just months away, this competition will be an exhilarating start as athletes prepare themselves for the summer.

Niels de Vos, Chief Executive of British Athletics said: “It is fantastic to see athletics so well represented on the BBC Sports Personality of the Year shortlist with Jessica Ennis-Hill, Mo Farah and Greg Rutherford all nominated for the award. Greg has had another superb year and has become one of British athletics’ most consistent and reliable performers. It will be great for the people of Glasgow to get the chance to see him compete there again at what will be the best one-day indoor meeting anywhere in the world.”

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “Glasgow has proven itself to be a favourite destination for the world’s finest athletes in recent years, contributing greatly to Scotland’s reputation as the perfect stage for events. Greg Rutherford, as reigning Commonwealth Games champion, will have the chance to build on the success he achieved in Glasgow in 2014, and spectators at the Emirates Arena will certainly appreciate the chance to witness him perform as he prepares for the Olympic Games in 2016.”

Fans will be able to vote for BBC Sports Personality of the Year by phone or online during the awards show at Belfast’s SSE Arena, broadcast live on BBC One on Sunday 20 December.

For tickets to the Glasgow Indoor Grand Prix please visit http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/35004F13D8742C7B