UK Athletics has announced that Britain will stage a third outdoor grand prix meeting next summer, with the additional event due to be held in Glasgow.
The Norwich Union Classic will be the first international grand prix athletics meeting in Scotland for 13 years.
The exact nature of the programme will soon be finalised, and it is anticipated that it will be based around a series of truly world-class races and field events, featuring the very best athletes in the world, and additional events, specifically designed to help Britain’s future medal hopefuls.
The rest of the meeting, which takes place at Scotstoun Stadium on Sunday June 3, will also include Paralympic events and ‘themed’ 2012 disciplines.
World-class athletics also returns to Sheffield as the city stages both the European Indoor Trials in February (Birmingham’s NIA will be the venue for the European Indoor Championships themselves), and the British Grand Prix in July.
And the prestigious London Grand Prix will take place at Crystal Palace on Friday August 3, three weeks before the World Championships in Osaka.
Glasgow is also to stage UK Athletics’ opening event of the indoor season, on Saturday January 27 at the Kelvin Hall.
The presence of some of the world’s best athletes in Glasgow on two occasions during the year is expected to bolster the city’s hopes of being awarded the 2014 Commonwealth Games when the decision is taken in November next year.
The 2007 AAA Championships is to return to being a three-day meeting, due to the rising number of entries received for the annual trials meeting, which next summer will be used to pick the team for the IAAF World Championships in Osaka.
The full list of UKA televised meetings in 2007 is:
Indoor:
Norwich Union International, Glasgow – January 27
European Indoor Trials & UK Championships, Sheffield – February 10 and 11
Grand Prix, Birmingham – February 17
Outdoor:
Norwich Union Classic, Glasgow – June 3
British Grand Prix, Sheffield – July 15
AAA Championships, Manchester – July 27-29
London Grand Prix, London – August 3