The multiple world and Olympic champion, an ambassador for London's bid for the 2017 IAAF World Championships, confirmed his participation in the international half marathon race this week while visiting Soweto in South Africa, where he is doing charity work for the Nelson Mandela Foundation.

Gebrselassie has happy memories of Birmingham, where he has broken world records in the 2,000 metres, two miles and 5,000m at the National Indoor Arena.

He will be the main attraction in a 15,000 sell-out field.

Despite recently losing his world record in the BMW Berlin Marathon, Gebrselassie remains one of the biggest attractions for global meeting organisers, and although he failed to finish in the German capital, he remains determined to qualify for his national team over the distance and take part in the London 2012 Olympics.

During his illustrious career, the 38-year-old has won two Olympic 10,000m gold medals, four IAAF World Championship titles over the distance and set 26 world records in competitions ranging from 2,000m to marathon.

The event is being organised by Nova International, organisers of the Bupa Great North Run, a race won by Gebrselassie at his first attempt last year and one which regularly attracts a field in excess of 50,000 competitors.

"To bring the greatest runner of all time, Haile Gebrselassie, to one of the biggest cities in the UK for the first staging of the Bupa Great Birmingham Run will be fantastic," said Brendan Foster, Nova's chairman.

"It will offer everyone taking part in what is a very large and impressive field to run with him, and I know from his popularity there in the past, a big crowd will come out to support him and all of the contestants.

"Personally I just can't wait to see Haile running in Birmingham, which is a venue very special to him.

"He is the number one guy in our sport and to have him running in a city where he's set world records in the past is fantastic and it would be great to see him win the race."

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