Sir Mo Farah and Eilish McColgan record announcements for Manchester Metrolink network

  • Sir Mo Farah and Eilish McColgan have recorded special Metrolink announcements ahead of the Great Manchester Run

Passengers will hear some familiar voices making tannoy announcements on Manchester's tram network in the build up to the Great Manchester Run.

Four-time Olympic champion Sir Mo Farah will be taking over the Manchester Metrolink airwaves alongside Commonwealth Games champion Eilish McColgan to share travel advice ahead of the event’s 20th anniversary on Sunday 21 May.

The event will be one of Sir Mo's last races, and his last in Manchester.

Significant road closures will be in place to accommodate the half marathon and 10k races.

Metrolink passengers will be reminded by Sir Mo and Eilish to touch-in and touch-out if paying by contactless.

The Great Manchester Run is on Sunday 21 May. Credit: Transport for Greater Manchester

The pair are the latest familiar voices to be heard across the UK’s largest tram network, with Tony the Tiger, Professor Brian Cox, Shaun Ryder, Sir Kenneth Branagh.

Danny Vaughan, Transport for Greater Manchester’s (TfGM) Head of Metrolink, said: “We’re really excited to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Great Manchester Run and we can’t wait to welcome people onto the network this weekend.

“We’re delighted to have Sir Mo Farah and Eilish McColgan making announcements on Metrolink, and I’m sure our passengers will enjoy hearing their voices in the lead-up to what is a brilliant event.”

Sir Mo Farah celebrates winning the Men's Elite Race during the 2019 Simplyhealth Great North Run. Credit: PA Images

Around 25,000 runners - including Sir Mo - are expected to take part across the two races. Thousands more expected to line the routes along Manchester city centre, Trafford and Salford.

Sir Brendan Foster, founder of The Great Run Company said, “It’s a great privilege for us to celebrate the 20th AJ Bell Great Manchester Run this year – something we’re only able to do because of the way the event has been embraced by the people of Manchester and the North West as a whole.

“We hope their voices will inspire runners and spectators alike as they travel to and from the event. We can't wait to see everyone come together and celebrate 20 years of this iconic event.”

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