Great North City Games: Allyson Felix takes centre stage as event moves to Stockton

6th Sep 2019 | Source: BBC

Allyson Felix will be competing at the forthcoming World Championships in Doha

Six-time Olympic champion Allyson Felix will be the star attraction at the Great North City Games which is being held in Stockton for the first time.

The 33-year-old American will compete in 150m event on a pop-up track on Stockton High Street on Saturday.

British Paralympic champions Jonnie Peacock and Sophie Hahn will be taking part in 100m races.

Compatriots Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake and Harry Aikines Aryeetey line up in the men's 150m.

American former world and Olympic champion LaShawn Merritt, 33, is the headline act in the men's 400m which will run along the Teesside high street. The field includes British trio Martyn Rooney, Dwayne Cowan and Guy Learmonth, who drops down from the 800m.

The women's long jump is another highlight of the day, with American Olympic and world champion Tianna Bartoletta favourite to the take the title.

Saturday begins with the mini and junior Great North Runs followed by the 10k race. In Newcastle-Gateshead there will be women's and men's mile races on Saturday before Sunday's Great North Run half-marathon.

Coverage of the Great North City Games begins on Saturday, BBC One at 13:15 BST.