Great CityGames: Top athletes race on Deansgate

Thousands of spectators will be descending on Deansgate next Friday evening, for the Great CityGames. Top athletes from around the world, many of whom competed in last year’s Olympics, will be racing on a specially-constructed 250-metre-long track near the Great Northern Warehouse. The aim of the event is to showcase athletics in an innovative way: outside of the traditional stadium setting, where it’s free to watch and up close. All eyes will be on Kim Collins who, against all the odds, scored a victory at the Games last year. Will this 41-year old be able to defend his title against much younger runners? If you can’t come to find out in person, all the races will be shown live on BBC 2. The event is part of a major weekend of sport for the city, centred around the Great Manchester Run, which takes place on the Sunday.

Fri 26 May, Near the Great Northern, Deansgate, Manchester, M3 4EN. 6pm, FREE, www.greatcitygames.org