Published at 09:09, Monday, 25 June 2012

LEADING British decathletes Ed Dunford and Martin Brockman will be among a slew of world class athletes descending on Hexham later this month as they battle to book a last minute place to the Olympics.

Nearly 30 of the world’s top male and female multi eventers are expected to take to the Wentworth track for Hexham’s annual International Combined Events Meeting for what promises to be one of the most prestigious weekends in the gathering’s 16 year history.

The meet on June 30-July 1 finishes just 24 hours before the final qualification deadline for athletes hoping to compete at London 2012.

It means Hexham will be the last opportunity for many Olympic heptathlete and decathlete hopefuls to make their national squads.

Among the names joining Dunford and Brockman will be former Olympian and 2002 Commonwealth decathlon champion Claston Bernard from Jamaica, French decathlete Nadir El Fassi and Josue Louis from Haiti.

Current British number three Ben Hazel could also be a Hexham contender, but has yet to confirm his attendance, as is the case with heptathlete Grace Clements, fighting for an Olympic place alongside home grown golden girls Jessica Ennis and Katarina Johnson-Thompson, who have already booked their berths to London.

Fellow British heptathletes Jenny Lumley, Rosie Kingston and Jasmin Dotzek will be competing in Hexham, however, for what promises to be two days of top class track and field competition.

Meeting director Richard Hunter said: “Hexham is shaping up to be a fantastically competitive event not just for those taking part but for spectators as well who will have the rare chance to see some of the world’s finest athletes competing on North East soil just weeks before the Olympics get under way in London. Everyone is looking forward to seeing top class performances and I hope the competition will bring out the best in everyone who takes part whether that be achieving a personal best or taking a step nearer to achieving an Olympic medal.”

The Hexham gathering is part of the McCain’s UKA Combined Events Challenge series.

Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk