SOME of the stars of the Rio Olympics will be on show in the North-East this weekend as the Newcastle-Gateshead Quayside hosts the Great North City Games.

Bronze-medal winning long jumper Greg Rutherford will join members of the women’s 4x100m relay team and 4x400m relay bronze medallist Aniyka Onoura as Saturday’s street athletics event forms part of the build up to the following day’s Great North Run.

British 1,500m record holder Laura Muir will also feature as she looks to round off her season in style, along with North-East sprinter Richard Kilty, who will be keen to impress on home soil.

Rutherford, who finished third in Rio after winning a gold medal at London 2012, is looking forward to returning to a venue where he has excelled in the past.

“Adding a bronze medal to the gold from 2012 is something to be proud of,” said the long jumper. “I’d put a lot of hard work in and I was glad to see it pay off in Rio.

“I’m really excited to be competing at the Great North City Games. I’m sure there will be a fantastic atmosphere - there is much to celebrate and I can’t wait to be part of it.”

The men’s 4x100m relay team, which finished fifth in the Olympic final, will be represented by Kilty, CJ Utah and James Dasaolu, who will compete in the 100m, with Harry Aikines-Aryeety and Ojie Edoburun tackling the 150m event.

“It’s always good to come back to the North-East, especially when it is to compete, and I’m looking forward to this event,” said Kilty. “It’s always exciting to be running on this track, with the crowd right on top of the action, and it’s a nice way to end the season.”

Danny Talbot, the 200m semi-finalist in Rio, makes up the British contingent in the men’s sprints, while Martyn Rooney will compete over 500m.

While Mo Farah will be gunning for his third Great North Run victory on Sunday, Andy Butchart, who finished sixth behind Farah in the Olympic 5,000m final, will take on the mile distance at the City Games.

Butchart’s 13:08.61 in Rio was the UK’s third-fastest 5,000m of all time, and the British champion will face competition from 42-year-old American Bernard Lagat.

“It’ll be good to return to Newcastle,” said the 24-year-old Scotsman. “I pulled up short last time out so I’ve got a bit of unfinished business there.

“The whole Olympic experience was amazing, to finish sixth in an Olympic final is something that I’m very proud of and it’ll be good to see everybody again for the Great North City Games.”

Team GB’s bronze medal-winning 100m women’s relay team will be out in force on the banks of the Tyne. Asha Philip will contest the 100m, while in the 150m, Philip’s relay team-mate Desiree Henry will be up against Jodie Williams, who was a 200m semi-finalist in Rio.

City Games favourite Tiffany Porter returns to Newcastle-Gateshead, where she will defend her title having made the final of the 100m hurdles in Rio.

The 28-year-old, who has won her last five City-Games outings in Tyneside and Manchester, is looking forward to her return to the North-East.

“I am a big fan of the Great City Games and I can’t wait to come back,” she said. “Having the crowd so close gives you a big lift and it always makes it a special day.”

Muir will lead the way in the women’s mile, having broken the British 1,500m record for the second time in five weeks at the recent Diamond League meeting in Lausanne. She will be up against Morpeth Harrier Laura Weightman as well as Steph Twell and Eilish McColgan.

Aside from the British contingent, one of the star attractions will be double Olympic champion and world record holder David Rudisha, who will compete in the 500m in his first event since taking Olympic gold in Rio.

Rudisha retained the Olympic title over 800m, and will start as the favourite over a shorter distance on the banks of the Tyne.