Obiri and Chepngetich set to clash in Great Manchester Run

Multiple world champion and Olympics two-time silver medalist Hellen Obiri headlines a stellar field of runners at this year's Great Manchester Run set for Sunday 22 May. 

The 2019 winner of the 10km race who also won the Great North Run in 2021 as she began her transition to road racing will face-off with defending champion Eilish McColgan. 

The two renew rivalry since racing against each other in September last year at the Great North Run where Obiri beat the Brit by six seconds. 

McColgan has, however, been in brilliant form recently with a UK 5km record at the start of this month followed by victory in the Vitality London 10000m where she missed Paula Radcliffe’s British record of 30:21 by only two seconds

“I am enjoying the new challenge of being a road racer. I have run some half marathons so far this year and improved my personal best and I want to do the same over 10km in Manchester.

I have good memories from winning in 2019 and remember the people in the city really supporting the event and all the runners," said Obiri. 

The line-up has been made even more interesting with the inclusion of World Marathon and 2021 Chicago Marathon champion Ruth Chepngetich who is preparing for her World title defence in Oregon. 

"This is part of my preparations for Oregon and I am ready to do my best," Chepngetich said. 

This is the second time the two Kenyans clash in their racing careers. Their first ever meeting was in Istanbul Half Marathon last year where Chepngetich carried the day, winning in 1:04.01 which was a world record then as Obiri finished third behind Yalemzerf Yehualaw of Ethiopia. 

Also on the list is Sara Hall of the United States who will be familiar to British fans after her runner-up performance at the 2020 London Marathon. She also held the US half-marathon record until recently, has a marathon best of 2:20:32 and is looking for a strong run in Manchester.