Mo Farah will be chasing a third consecutive victory at this year's Great North Run ©Getty Images

Double Olympic champion Mo Farah is to defend his Great North Run title next month and bid for his third consecutive title, it was announced today. 

The Briton will return to the North East of England on September 11 for the world’s biggest half-marathon.

He will be joined by 57,000 others on the startline, including his wife Tania, who will be taking part in the Great North Run for the first time.

Having finished runner up to Ethiopian superstar Kenenisa Bekele in 2013, Farah claimed the Great North Run crown in 2014 before retaining it last year with a British and European record time of 59min 22sec.

The 33-year-old is a huge fan of the region.

"I love the Great North Run and the incredible atmosphere at the event," said Farah.

"The noise from the crowd in those last few hundred metres is just unbelievable."

Britain's Mo Farah hopes he will have successfully defended his Olympic 5,000 and 10,000 metres titles at Rio 2016 when he lines up for the Great North Run next month
Britain's Mo Farah hopes he will have successfully defended his Olympic 5,000 and 10,000 metres titles at Rio 2016 when he lines up for the Great North Run next month

The race will come after Farah defends here the Olympic 5,000 and 10,000 metres title he won at London 2012. 

“It’s a big year for me, but once it’s over it will be great to end my season at one of my favourite events, with Tania taking part as a fun runner too," he said.

Farah is sure of a warm welcome at a race, which takes place between Newcastle upon Tyne and South Shields, that will be screened live on BBC.

“Mo has become one of the biggest sporting superstars of our time," Brendan Foster, chairman of event organisers, The Great Run Company, said:

“We are absolutely thrilled he will be back on Tyneside in September aiming to make it three in a row.”