Obiri, Peres to clash in Great Manchester title chase

Fresh from winning her first major marathon in just her second appearance in the classic distance, multiple world 5000m champion Hellen Obiri will on Sunday 21 May line up for the 20th edition of the AJ Bell Great Manchester Run.

The Boston Marathon champion, had a spectacular race in Manchester last year, winning the race in 30:15, four seconds ahead of Eilish McColgan’s British record-breaking performance and is expected to replicate her performance on Sunday.

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Obiri will have good company in the race for the title, even in the absence of McColgan who is continuing her recovery from the knee problem which prevented her from making her marathon debut in London.

Her strongest challenge is likely to come from compatriot and reigning Olympics champion Peres Jepchirchir, who is coming off a third-place finish at the London Marathon won by debutant Sifan Hassan.

Ethiopia’s 2015 5000m world championships silver medalist Senbere Teferi, Steph Twell who will lead the home charge as part of a British contingent that also features Mollie Williams, Monika Jackiewicz, Lily Partridge, Rose Harvey and Natasha Cockram among others are also tipped to push the Kenyan duo.

Obiri, in her second race in the marathon clocked 2:21:38 for victory, the fourth-fastest women’s winning mark in Boston, beating world marathon champion Gotytom Gebreslase, Ethiopian record-holder Amane Beriso, Lonah Salpeter among others. Her finishing kick and track speed came in handy in the final kilometers of the Boston race.

Meanwhile, Mo Farah will tackle what is set to be the penultimate competitive race of his storied career in the men’s race.

Farah can expect plenty of support again, having last been seen in action when coming ninth in the London Marathon, where he confirmed his intention to retire at the end of this year. The four-time Olympic champion also clocked 30:41 for 10km in Gabon last month.