Jo Pavey and Mara Yamauchi back for the Great North Run

British pair Jo Pavey and Mara Yamauchi will race at Sunday's Great North Run after recovering from injuries.

They were both ruled out of the World Championships in Daegu - Pavey, 37, with a foot injury and Yamauchi, 38, with a hamstring strain.

Pavey said: "Mara is a great friend and I'm just pleased we're both returning after recovering from injury.

More than 54,000 runners will compete in the world's biggest half marathon from Newcastle to South Shields.

Pavey finished third in the Great North Run in 2008 when she set a personal best time of 68 minutes 53 seconds.

She has already gained the 2012 Olympic Games standard at the London Marathon in April and said: "When I finished third it was a really exciting and close finish.

"I would like to think that I could get a new PB this year. I've made some good progress and have trained hard. I will be giving it my best shot."

Yamauchi, 38, was sixth at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and is also hopeful she can return to top form quickly.

She said: "I had a hamstring tendon injury but I'm almost over it now, thank goodness.

"I was very disappointed to miss the World Championships as I was hoping to compete well there and hopefully qualify for the Olympics.

"But I have missed too much training to make a good performance realistic. I just have to focus on getting completely fit again."

Great Britain's European Indoor 3,000m gold medallist Helen Clitheroe will be making her half-marathon debut, while last year's winner, Berhane Adere, from Ethiopia, is also racing along with 2009 winner Jessica Augusto, from Portugal.

London Marathon champion Emmanuel Mutai will start favourite to win the men's title following the late withdrawal of two-time Great North winner and fellow Kenyan Martin Lel, while Andy Vernon heads the British entrants.