McColgan is set for Great North Run victory

Eilish McColgan bids to win the Great North Run half-marathon for the first time when she lines up alongside 60,000 other runners on Sunday.

The Scot returned from injury to compete for Great Britain at the Paris Olympics, finishing 15th in the 10,000m.

She enters this weekend's race in much better condition having won the Big Half marathon in London last weekend in 69 minutes and 14 seconds.

The 33-year-old British record holder will come up against two-time champion Vivian Cheruiyot, of Kenya, and Ethiopia's Senbere Teferi.

While McColgan's mum Liz won the Great North Run three times, Eilish's best result is second place in 2021.

"Returning from this year's Paris Olympics and on the road back from injury, I'm especially looking forward to the tens of thousands of spectators and supporters lining the streets, as well as the 60,000 runners taking part alongside me," said McColgan.

Britain's Marc Scott, the 2021 Great North Run champion, competes in the men's race against the likes of Olympic 10,000m silver medallist Berihu Aregawi and 2021 London Marathon winner Sisay Lemma, both from Ethiopia.

Leading the field in the men's wheelchair race is 2022 Commonwealth Games champion JohnBoy Smith, while fellow Briton Jade Hall will bid to add the 2024 Great North title to her triumph in 2021.

What is the Great North Run course?

The annual 13.1-mile race starts in Newcastle city centre, crosses the River Tyne and goes through Gateshead before finishing by the sea in South Shields.

Runners raise millions of pounds for charity and you can watch comprehensive coverage on BBC One from 10:00 BST on Sunday.

posted Friday September 6th
by AJ Bell