Danvers leads British track and field into new era at the Super8 launch

(GETTY IMAGES)

Tasha Danvers, the Olympic 400 metres hurdles bronze medallist, will be at the helm of one of eight city teams tonight as British athletics launches its Super8 project – an 11-event, inter-city contest packed into a two-hour programme.

The competition features innovations such as immediate disqualifications for false starts in sprints and only four attempts for athletes in the throws and long jump.

"I think it's a great idea," Danvers said. She captains the London South team in an enterprise held as a pilot, with the hope that cities will bid for franchises from next year. There are seven other teams – Birmingham, Cardiff, London North, Newcastle, Glasgow, Manchester and Sheffield – and the action starts at 7pm at the Cardiff International Sports Stadium. For athletes there is a £75,000 prize fund, with £1,000 for the winners of each event.

British absentees include Olympic 400m champion Christine Ohuruogu and Dwain Chambers, who are competing in an invitation meeting at Montreuil in Paris tomorrow, but 15 of Britain's Beijing Olympic team will feature.