11 May 2017

 Kendra Harrison to return to stage of incredible world record triumph at London Stadium

 London 2012 Olympic champion Aries Merritt to race star-studded field

American sprint hurdles sensation Kendra Harrison is promising a spectacular show when she returns to the London Stadium for The Müller Anniversary Games on 9th July, a year after setting a new world record at the same event.

Harrison, who missed out on a place in the US Olympic team for Rio, clocked an incredible 12.20 seconds to surpass Bulgarian Yordanka Donkova’s 28-year-old 100m hurdles world record in London last July. 

Harrison said: “Last year’s race was the highlight of my career so far and I can’t wait to get back on that track to relive that experience. The Müller Anniversary Games will be like the World Championships in one day and this year it’s even more important to be there.”

More sparks are set to fly this year when she faces a line-up that includes London 2012 Olympic champion Sally Pearson, Rio Olympic silver medallist Nia Ali and a British trio including 2014 European champion Tiffany Porter (coach: Jeff Porter), Cindy Ofili (Porter) and Katarina Johnson-Thompson (Bertrand Valcin).

Harrison added: “I’m so excited about coming back to the London Stadium to compete at the Müller Anniversary Games. Hopefully I can do something special again, to set me up for the World Championships in August.”

London 2012 Olympic champion Aries Merritt will also return to the scene of his greatest triumph, to take on a world class men’s 110m hurdles field.

After a challenging few years battling a kidney condition, which included major surgery just days after winning a remarkable world bronze in Beijing, the world record holder is looking to make his mark again.

However, he will face a strong field at the Müller Anniversary Games, which includes Olympic silver medallist Orlando Ortega, Olympic bronze medallist Dimitri Bascou, 2013 world champion David Oliver, Rio fourth placer Pascal Martinot-Lagarde and Britain’s European Indoor champion and current world number two Andrew Pozzi (Benke Blomkvist).

Merritt said: “I really want to get back to my best for the World Championships, so the Müller Anniversary Games will be an important race for me in the build-up to that, with the World Championships only four weeks later. The field is really strong but this is the kind of competition I love, and it is the closest you can get to the World Championships in one day.

“It’s been a tough few years for me and I have been working hard to get back to top form.  But I know I have some great performances to come, and I want to show people that I’m back to my top level. The London Stadium is very special to me as it’s where I won my Olympic title, so I can’t wait to get back in front of the great British crowd in July.”

The Müller Anniversary Games is part of the prestigious IAAF Diamond League and will be one of the British Athletics team’s last chance to compete ahead of this summer’s IAAF World Championships, which will see the best athletes in the world return to the London Stadium from 4-13 August.

British Athletics is encouraging fans to turn out in red, white and blue for the Müller Anniversary Games and cheer on the Brits as they prepare for one of the biggest sporting events in the World.

For tickets to see the world’s best athletes at the Müller Anniversary Games go to http://www.britishathletics.org.uk/british-athletics-series/