Verity Ockenden faces debutant Izzy Fry in the women’s race while Andy Butchart makes his debut in the men’s event at the AJ Bell Great South Run on Sunday (Oct 18).

Verity Ockenden will return to Portsmouth to defend her UK 10-mile title at the AJ Bell Great South Run on Sunday (Oct 18) and she will face a stiff challenge from newcomer Izzy Fry.

Ockenden, of Swansea Harriers, won last year in 56:37 after finishing second and third in previous editions. She has also enjoyed a good season on the roads and took the UK 10km road silver medal at the Great Manchester Run, where she was fourth overall.

“The Great South Run has always been special for me as a race that ties together family history in Portsmouth, my coach Chris Thompson’s legacy here, as well as marking a lot of turning points in my own career,” said Ockenden. “It’s a real honour to be able to return to defend my title and I’ll be bringing my best effort in order to retain it.”

Fry, of Newbury, makes her Great South Run debut after winning the British 10,000m title in Loughborough in May and then competing at this summer’s Commonwealth Games.

Others in the women’s field include Daisy Glover of Framlingham Flyers, Esme Davies of Border Harriers, Hannah Irwin and Holly Archer of Cambridge & Coleridge, Natasha Philips of Dundee Hawkhill and Cassie Thorp of City of Portsmouth, who will have home support.

In the men’s race, two-time Olympian Andy Butchart is another debutant. The Scot has enjoyed a successful comeback season after injury, winning silver in the 5000m at the Novuna UK Championships and running a PB of 61:45 at the Barcelona Half-marathon, which makes him the second-fastest Scottish half-marathoner in history.

Butchart’s rivals include Kadar Omar of Birchfield Harriers, Max Selby and Cole Gibbons of Tonbridge, Alex Durant of Sheffield & Dearne, Samuel Gebreselassie of Belgrave Harriers and Lachlan Wellington of City of Portsmouth.

The Great South Run has a rich history of British success. Liz McColgan won in 1995 and 1997, while her daughter Eilish McColgan took her third victory in 2021 with a time of 50:43, which remains the women’s course record and a European 10-mile best. Sonia O’Sullivan, Paula Radcliffe and Mo Farah are also among the past winners.

“Spectators lining the route are in for a treat,” said Paul Foster, chief executive of The Great Run Company, who described the event as one of the fastest and flattest 10-mile courses around.

The elite women start at 10.15am and the elite men at 10.35am, with more than 25,000 runners expected over the weekend. This year’s event also forms part of the Portsmouth100 celebrations marking the city’s centenary of city status.

Full elite fields

Women: Verity Ockenden (Swansea), Izzy Fry (Newbury), Daisy Glover (Framlingham Flyers), Esme Davies (Border Harriers), Hannah Irwin (Cambridge & Coleridge), Natasha Philips (Dundee Hawkhill), Holly Archer (Cambridge & Coleridge), Cassie Thorp (City of Portsmouth), Gemma Kersey (Basildon), Samantha Antell (Bideford), Caroline Williams (Candy Racing), Rachel Laurie (Aldershot, Farnham & District), Maisie Trafford (Brighton Phoenix), Rachel Gifford (Leamington Cycling & AC), Stephanie Hutton (Cornwall), Lindsay Skinner (Off That Couch Fitness), Louise Flynn (Les Croupiers), Georgina Weston (Charnwood), Catherine O’Connor (St Albans Striders), Fern Kimber (Poole), Lydia Mann (Cornwall), Catherine Hill (Reading), Imogen Matthews (HY Athletics Club), Felecity Hancock (Belgrave Harriers), Georgina Revell (Clapham Chasers)

Men: Andy Butchart (Central), Kadar Omar (Birchfield Harriers), Max Selby (Tonbridge), Alex Durant (Sheffield & Dearne), Lachlan Wellington (City of Portsmouth), Cole Gibbons (Tonbridge), Samuel Gebreselassie (Belgrave Harriers), Dillon Hobbs (Tunbridge Wells Harriers), Jack Shayler (Abingdon), Bob Sporle (City of Southend), Jack Woods (Holland Sports), Brandon Barber (Ipswich Harriers), Nick Bester (Best Athletics), Matthew Revier (Southampton)