Mo Farah faces Ethiopian duo in Great North Run 2013 

Mo Farah will take on two of the biggest names in distance running when he faces Haile Gebrselassie andKenenisa Bekele in the Great North Run.

The double Olympic champion will race against the Ethiopian duo in the half-marathon from Newcastle to South Shields on 15 September.

“It has the makings of the greatest head to head in half-marathon history,” said event founder Brendan Foster.

Farah, 30, plans to run a full marathon for the first time in 2014.

The Briton, who won gold in the 5,000m and 10,000m at the 2012 Olympic Games, ran half of the London Marathon in April and will run the full version next year.

He set a new British record for the half-marathon in New Orleans in February and aims to become the first Briton to win the Great North Run since Steve Kenyon in 1985.

“I competed in the mile and two-mile events on Great North Run weekend in past years and am delighted to finally make my debut in the main event,” Farah said.

“It is always one of the world’s top half-marathon races and this year promises to be a great race with me against Haile Gebrselassie and Kenenisa Bekele.”

Foster said: “No-one could ask for a better ‘dream team’ to participate in their event and we are delighted they will feature.”

Gebrselassie, 40, is a two-time 10,000m Olympic champion and also previously held the marathon world record, while triple Olympic champion Bekele holds the world record and Olympic record in both the 5,000 and 10,000m.

“I can still compete at the highest level and I look forward to giving both of them a run for their money,” said Gebrselassie.

“This is something special for everyone. It’s going to be a tough contest for all of us, which I am sure will result in an exciting race.”