Denise Lewis (GBR) in the long jump competition of the World Champs Heptathlon in Paris 2003 (© Getty Images)
Olympic Heptathlon gold medallist Denise Lewis will go head-to-head with triple Olympic sprint champion Marion Jones in an intriguing Long Jump competition at this summer's Norwich Union British Grand Prix in Gateshead (27 June 2004).
The pair were the two biggest female track stars of the last Olympic Games in Sydney, but have never met in competition.
The June 27 - IAAF Super Grand Prix - meeting will also be the first major outdoor UK track appearance for Lewis in almost three years, and in addition to the long jump, the Sydney Olympic winner will also compete in another of her strongest events, the 100m hurdles.
Lewis said: "It has been quite a while since I've played a part in one of the big showcase summer events in Britain, so it's great to be back this year competing in front of a home crowd.
"I want to give myself every chance of retaining my Olympic title in Athens this year and Gateshead is an ideal opportunity to sharpen up in two of my key events.
"The fact that Marion Jones will be in opposition only adds extra spice - it should be a lot of fun."
A year after her epic win in Sydney, Lewis took a sabbatical from track action to give birth to daughter Lauryn and has only competed sporadically since then.
She remains, however, one of the country's highest profile athletes and will be under intense spotlight right up to the Olympics in August.
Jones, who was also the Long Jump bronze medallist in Sydney is returning to full competitive action after her own pregnancy last year.
