Quality fields are being assembled by organiser James McIlroy for Northern Ireland road race in August

With last year’s winners Yalemzerf Yehualaw and Jemal Yimer set to defend their titles, together with the presence of rising British star Marc Scott, organisers of the ‘Mid & East Antrim’ Antrim Coast Half Marathon are aiming to make their event on August 28 one of the greatest 13.1-mile races ever held in the UK and Ireland.

The World Athletics Elite label event sees Yehualaw returning to defend her crown. Last year the Ethiopian smashed the world record at the event, only for it not to be ratified due to the course being 54 metres too short.

In January, however, she showed her ability again by clocking a world record of 29:14 for 10km in Spain.

‘The whole of Northern Ireland is delighted Yalemzerf is returning this year and she’s continuing this year where she finished last year with a new world record in Cannes over 10km,” says Antrim Coast Half organiser James McIlroy.

“Her plan is to debut over the marathon in Hamburg in April, before returning to Northern Ireland were she’s going to receive an amazing reception. Everyone loves her, so hopefully she can feed off the reception she’ll be getting on the way round and go even faster this year!”

READ MORE: Yehualaw smashes 10km record

In addition to Yehualaw, McIlroy is poised to sign a further three women who have run between 65-67 minutes for the distance.

The men’s race will target a UK all-comers’ record and currently has four men who have run sub-59 minute and nine who have clocked sub-60min confirmed to run.

They include last year’s winner Jemal Yimer, the Ethiopian record-holder with 58:33. The 25-year-old is due to run the Boston Marathon in April before then building up to tackle the Antrim Coast Half.

Also set to race are Ghirmay Ghebreslassie, the 2015 world marathon champion and 2016 New York City Marathon winner from Eritrea, plus last year’s third-placed athlete at the Antrim Coast Half, Shadrack Kimining of Kenya, and Ethiopian talent Tsedat Ayana, who ran 59:39 last year aged 19.

Then of course there is Marc Scott, who will return to the event for the third year. After winning the Great North Run last September, he clocked 12:57 for 5000m indoors this year before winning bronze over 3000m at the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade.

Returning for 2022 will also be national teams from Ireland, England, and Northern Ireland, with England confirming their team week commencing June 6, Ireland end of July and Northern Ireland after August 9.

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The event is not just an elite race either. A sizeable mass field is expected with five-time Olympian Jo Pavey pacing the two-hour group.

There will also be a classic street mile on the Saturday evening before the main event with McIlroy saying the race may possibly target a sub-four-mile performance to kick off the weekend.