Britain’s 60m hurdles world leader Andrew Pozzi will go head to head with Rio Olympic silver and bronze medallists Orlando Ortega and Dimitri Bascou, as well as rising star David Omoregie, at the Müller Indoor Grand Prix in Birmingham. Ortega of Spain and France’s reigning European champion Bascou, are just two of 39 current global champions and medallists competing at the world’s top indoor athletics meeting at the Barclaycard Arena on 18 February.

The event is the first of a series of major international athletics competitions in the next 12 months, which will see Britain and Birmingham become the focus of the athletics world. Current British number one Pozzi ran a world leading time of 7.56 seconds in Cardiff last weekend, just shy of his lifetime best of 7.53 set last year and he is hoping to make his mark in Birmingham.

Pozzi said: “Running a world leading time was amazing and I’m really happy that everything is coming together. Winter training has gone well and I’m in great shape, so I’ll be looking to produce something special at the Müller Indoor Grand Prix.” World number two Ortega has set personal bests on his last two visits to Birmingham, whilst Bascou is the second fastest European of all time behind Colin Jackson, with a personal best of 7.41.

Welsh athlete David Omoregie has been snapping at Pozzi’s heels for the last year and is also in great form at the moment. Omoregie said: “I can’t wait for the race in Birmingham. The Müller Indoor Grand Prix is the world’s best indoor meeting, so it’s a great chance for me to test myself against Britain’s top hurdlers and two Olympic medallists on such a big stage at this point in the year.”

 Tickets to see a host of other global stars at the Müller Indoor Grand Prix Birmingham, which is supported by Birmingham City Council, are now on general sale and can be purchased by visiting www.britishathletics.org.uk. The Müller Indoor Grand Prix returns to the Midlands in February having been held in Glasgow for the first time in 2016 as the city alternates hosting the event with Birmingham up to 2020.

The Müller Indoor Grand Prix is a vital event as the British Athletics team builds towards a summer which will include two global championships in the UK; the World Para Athletics Championships and the IAAF World Championships London 2017. Then in March 2018, Birmingham will host the IAAF World Indoor Championships from 2-4 March.