Impressive elite fields have been announced for the Great Manchester Run 10k on Sunday 18 May. Last year’s winners Vincent Ngetich and Gotytom Gebreslase return to defend their titles, but will both face strong competition.
Women’s Field
Gotytom Gebreslase , the 2022 World Champion in the marathon, returns to Manchester after running 30:32 last year. Three-time race winner Hellen Obiri returns. Obiri finished second at last month’s Boston Marathon and won bronze in the 2024 Olympic marathon. World Leader Medina Eisa (29:25), multiple Olympic and World medallist Vivian Cheruiyot and Rosemary Wanjiru will also compete. Australian Isobel Batt-Doyle, Emily Sisson of the United States and Dutchwoman Jill Holterman continue the international field.
Verity Ockenden leads the domestic entries in the elite women’s field. She set a PB of 31:32 at the Pulford 10k in March, which puts her fifteenth on the British all-time list. In the early stages of her transition from the track to the roads, Alex Bell will also race. She finished seventh at the Pulford 10k in 32:42 and has a PB of 32:28 set last year. After withdrawing at the 12k point of the London Marathon, Charlotte Purdue will return to racing over a considerably shorter distance.
Photo: James Rhodes
Also due to race are Louise Small, Heather Townsend and Kate Maltby.
Men’s Field
Last year’s winner Vincent Ngetich returns and looks to continue his excellent start to 2025. He finished third at the Tokyo Marathon. He finished in the same position at last year’s event and third at the 2023 Berlin Marathon.
Selemon Barega, the 2021 Olympic Champion over 10,000m, will join proceedings as will Ethiopian compatriot Deresa Geleta in his 10k debut. Geleta sits seventh on the marathon all-time list after running 2:02:38 to finish second at last year’s Valencia Marathon. With Mosinet Geremew in the field also, it means two of the top-ten and three of the top-twenty fastest marathoners in history will compete. Santiago Catrofe of Uruguay, Dutchman Filmon Tesfu, Shota Nishiwaki and Kenya Sonata of Japan plus Australian Brett Robinson continue the international field.
Fresh from pacing duties at the London Marathon, Ben Connor is amongst the domestic field. It will be his first outing over 10k of the year, having raced at the Boston 5k and Cobh 10 (ten miles) last month. He’ll be joined by Scott Stirling, Matthew Clowes, Jack Gray and Keiran Clements amongst others, plus Irishman Nick Griggs.
