Joyciline Jepkosgei and Vivian Cheruiyot lead the entries as Britain’s best Lily Partridge, Gemma Steel, Charlotte Purdue and Aly Dixon battle.

The world’s fastest ever woman over the half marathon will be looking to spoil Vivian Cheruiyot’s plans to make it two Simplyhealth Great North Run wins in three years on Sunday (September 9).

Joyciline Jepkosgei, the world record holder over the half marathon, has been added to the field for one of the world’s biggest half marathon this weekend and will be the main competition for Olympic champion Cheruiyot in the iconic race.

Kenyan Jepkosgei clocked her record time of 64:51 in the Prague Half Marathon last year where she also broke the world 10km, 15km and 20km records.

She went on to beat her own 10km world record time back in Prague three months later when she clocked 29.43 to become the first woman to ever break 30 minutes over 10km.

Betsy Saina, who finished fifth in last year’s race which was won by Mary Keitany, will also be in contention, with British hopes lying with Lily Partridge, Gemma Steel, Charlotte Purdue and Sunderland athlete Aly Dixon.

Steel was the highest placed GB runner last year, finishing sixth in 71:32, ahead of Partridge in seventh and Dixon in eighth place.

Irish athlete Emma Mitchell, who finished 17th over 10,000m at the European Championships, is also among the entries and will make her half-marathon debut.

Elsewhere, Hayley Carruthers aims to continue her impressive season in her first Great North Run ahead of England debut at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon in October.

RELATED: Hayley Carruthers is just getting started

The men’s race will see Mo Farah battle against Jake Robertson, Daniel Wanjiru and Stanley Biwott as he attempts to win a five consecutive title. The full men’s elite field can be found here.

Women’s elite field (subject to change)
201) Vivian Cheruiyot
202) Joyciline Jepkosgei
203) Betsy Saina
204) Brigid Kosgei
205) Misato Horie
206) Linet Masai
207) Stephanie Bruce
208) Yuka Hori
209) Andrea Seccafien
210) Emma Mitchell
211) Maria Larsson
212) Lily Partridge
213) Charlotte Purdue
214) Gemma Steel
215) Aly Dixon
216) Camille Buscomb
217) Emily Waugh
218) Julie Briscoe
219) Hayley Munn
220) Carla Martinho
221) Tracy Millmore
223) Naomi Mitchell
224) Heather Sellars
225) Carly Needham
226) Eva Vail
227) Rosamund Ponder
228) Hayley Carruthers
229) Nicola Squires
230) Michelle Nolan-Hood
231) Stacey Clusker
232) Sarah Murphy
233) Johanna O’Regan
234) Ashley Gibson
235) Sheena Logan
236) Sarah Winstone
237) Sarah Gruber
239) Alexa Joel
240) Victoria Mousley
241) Jacqueline Penn
242) Alice Smith
244) Georgia Campbell
245) Charlotte Ellis
246) Eilidh Bell

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