27th June 2017

International Stars Flock to Muller Anniversary Games

The biggest international athletics stars on the planet will turn out for a one day World Championships at the Müller Anniversary Games on 9 July.

Twelve reigning Olympic champions, including Sir Mo Farah, 23 Olympic silver and bronze medallists from Rio, and eleven current world champions will take part in this year’s star-studded meet, which will be the last chance for many athletes to compete ahead of the IAAF World Championships on 4-13 August.

Sparks will fly in the women’s 100m when double Olympic sprint champion Elaine Thompson lines up against world 200m champion Dafne Schippers, Britain’s fastest women Dina Asher-Smith (coach: John Blackie) and fellow Brit, the European 60m champion Asha Philip (Steve Fudge).

Schippers, the reigning 200m world champion, came second behind Thompson in the 200m in Rio and fifth in the 100m final. This year, she has her sights on a medal over the shorter distance to add to her world silver in the 100m from two years go in Beijing.

Schippers said: “The Müller Anniversary Games is one of my favourite meets of the year. All the biggest international stars want to compete there and this year it will be even more of a big deal, so it will be like a preview of the World Championships.

“Competing in the 100m at this event will be an important part of my preparation for the World Championships and looking at the names in the field, I think it will be a really exciting race.”

Rio Olympic champion Ruth Beitia, former world indoor champion Chaunte Lowe, European indoor silver medallist Alessia Trost and Britain’s Morgan Lake (Aston Moore) form part of a strong women’s high jump field.

In addition, the gold, silver and bronze medallists from Rio, Ekaterini Stefanidi, Sandi Morris and Eliza McCartney, as well world champion Yarisley Silva and Britain’s Holly Bradshaw (Scott Simpson), are set to provide superb entertainment in the women’s pole vault.

Olympic champion Sara Kolak will take on bronze medallist Barbora Spotakova in the women’s javelin.

In the men’s long jump, Rio Olympic champion Jeff Henderson will go head to head with London 2012 gold medallist and defending world champion Greg Rutherford (Dan Pfaff) and the 400m hurdles will see Olympic 400m hurdles champion Kerron Clement and Rio bronze medallist Yasmani Copello headline a strong race.

Clement said: “I love competing in the UK at the Müller Anniversary Games. The London Stadium is a fantastic place and the crowd is always amazing. It’s one of the biggest meets on the circuit and this year it will be off the chart.

“Everyone should be at their best and really pushing to see where they are compared to their main rivals for the World Championships, so it will be a really exciting afternoon.”

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.