European champion to contest her first major road race since 2012 when she returns to the streets of Manchester in May

Jo Pavey could complete a Great Manchester Run hat-trick when she returns to run the 10km event on May 10.

The European 10,000m champion, who also won Commonwealth 5000m bronze last summer, this year intends to mix road running with track competition and says she is looking forward to returning to the Manchester event because previously she had thought that 2015 would be the year she would retire.

With further success in May, the 41-year-old, who won Europe’s biggest 10km road race in 2007 and 2008, would become the first female to complete a hat-trick of victories at this event and the Exeter athlete could also break the 30-year-old British over-40 record of 32:25 belonging to Priscilla Welsh.

“I am really excited about racing the Morrisons Great Manchester Run, not least because I thought 2015 was going to be the year that I retired,” said Pavey.

“To be thinking about competing in events like the Great Manchester Run is such a massive bonus for me, when I thought I d be hanging up my racing shoes. It s a great race and a great opportunity for me.”

She added: “I m really excited about getting out and racing on the roads again. It was something I couldn t do last year because of the two major championships and having to qualify for them.

”Getting back on the roads is a real motivating factor for me and racing in Manchester is really exciting. It s a great course fast and flat and it s always a very competitive race.”

Pavey joins another veteran, Bernard Lagat, the American already having been announced in the line-up after recent world veteran bests.

Meanwhile, Katarina Johnson-Thompson is to make her Great CityGames Manchester debut the day before the 10km as she contests the 200m hurdles and long jump.

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