A RECORD field of nearly 4,000 runners will compete in tonight's big Nike Blaydon Race - including a string of top Africans.

But four-time winner Kenyan Julius Kimtai will not be on the starting line outside Balmbras public house in the centre of Newcastle.

In his place, vying for the £1,000 first prize, will be fellow countrymen Augustine Rono, Wilfred Taragon and Sammy Malakwen, while leading Russian Yelena Burykina returns to Tyneside after her record-breaking success last year to chase the £1,000 prize.

And for the first time the race organisers have introduced £500 prizes for the first men and women members of North-East clubs to cross the finish line outside the Geordie Ridley pub in Blaydon.

Strongly fancied to be the first local man home is Chester-le-Street-based Michael Openshaw, who has notched up a string of North-East successes over the last year.

But the Great Britain international is ineligible for the £500 prize because he wears the vest of big Midlands club Birchfield Harriers, having left his local club, Chester-le-Street AC, in search of greater competition. Leading contenders for the prize-money will be brothers Mark and Ian Hudspith, of Morpeth Harriers.

Another Chester-le-Street runner, Dianne Heneghan, will be hot favourite to lift the North-East women's prize after finishing an excellent third last weekend behind the winning Burykina in the British Milers Club 3,000m in Manchester last weekend.

While Burykina is expected to retain her women's title she will be challenged by fellow Russian Galina Alexandrova and Kenyan Catherine Mutwa, but leading British hope Charlotte Dale, the European junior cross country champion, has pulled out through injury.

The race will be started at 7pm by the Lord Mayor of Newcastle using Jackie Brown's 1862 handbell. There are no late entries.

* Sunderland Harrier Bob Laidler set new British over-75 records in the javelin (27.00m) and discus (29.54m) at the British Veterans Track and Field Championships at Derby.

Durham City's Val Hancock also set a new over-60 record in the 5,000m of 21 mins 01.17 secs, while Ian Barnes (Darlington) won the over-65 1500m (5:11.25).