The evergreen GB athlete will face Luke Traynor and Mike Shelley, while Rose Chelimo and Mare Dibaba lead the women’s field.

Chris Thompson will return to Glasgow to defend his Bank of Scotland Great Scottish Run half marathon title on Sunday (September 30).

The 37 year-old took a memorable victory on the streets of the city last September as he rolled back the years.

In a career which has been dogged by injuries, Thompson has enjoyed a purple patch over the last two years, following up his win at the Great Scottish Run with victory in the Great South Run three weeks later.

This return to form saw Thompson put in strong performances over the winter including a third-place finish in both the Doha Half Marathon and NYC Half marathon and achieving the qualifying time for a call-up to the European Championships, where he represented Great Britain at a major competition for the first time since 2012.

He will take on the half marathon in Glasgow next weekend as he prepares to compete in November’s New York City Marathon.

“I’m really looking forward to returning to Glasgow to defend my title at Bank of Scotland Great Scottish Run,” said Thompson. “The people of Glasgow really know their sport and they always turn out in large numbers at this race.

“This is an important milestone in my preparations for the New York City Marathon, so I’m determined to run well here as I look forward to November.”

Thompson will face Mike Shelley, who won the first of his two Commonwealth gold medals at Glasgow 2014 over the marathon.

Australian Shelley last competed in the Great Scottish Run half marathon in 2014, clocking 62:54 to finish fifth.

Thompson and Shelley will take on some of Scotland’s best distance runners, with exciting talent Luke Traynor taking on the half marathon in Glasgow for the first time.

Photo: Bobby Gavin

Olympian Tsegai Tewelde, Neil Renault, Tewolde Mengisteab and Weynay Ghebresilasie will all be expected to challenge the frontrunners at Scotland’s premier distance running event.

In the women’s race, Rose Chelimo will take on Mare Dibaba in an exciting face-off in Glasgow. 

Chelimo, 2017 World Athletics Championship gold medallist over the marathon, will line up alongside Olympic bronze medallist Dibaba, World Athletics Championship gold medallist two years earlier in 2015.

British hopes will rest on Gemma Steel, Susan Partridge and Fionnuala Ross, with more names set to be added in the coming days.

Sammi Kinghorn will aim to make it two wins on the bounce in the women’s wheelchair race, while Patrick Monahan and Sam Kolek will contest the men’s wheelchair event.

RELATED: Chris Thompson wins Great Scottish Run

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