91Èȱ¬

Will pride be on the line between Christine Ohuruogu and Jessica Ennis?

On personal bests it shouldn't be a contest. Ohuruogu has clocked 11.35 seconds for the 100m and 22.85 sec for the 200m, compared to Ennis's marks of 11.68 and 23.15. Christine set the British record of 17.10 sec in and subsequently lowered that to 16.94, while Jess has never run the distance competitively.

But it's not quite that simple. Ennis and has been producing some serious numbers in training. Ohuruogu is running the 400m at the inaugural , and will arrive in Manchester straight off a six-hour flight.

Jess says she fears Christine's speed; Christine admits her opponent is in great shape.

Votes were 60-40 in Ennis's favour when I earlier this week. To provide further evidence for both sides, I've had a chat with a few wise heads in athletics to gather their thoughts on how difficult the 150m is to run, the perfect way to do it and who might come out on top.

, Ennis's coach and for combined events

"I've timed Jess over 150m in training, and from a rolling start she can run a low 17 seconds. Off the blocks and in a straight line that equates to under 18 seconds.

"Christine is the better 200m runner, but Jess is faster over 100m. It's a halfway house, so it'll be interesting.

"Jess ran the 100m at the and clocked 12.10 into a 4.9m/s headwind to win it. In the heats she ran 11.82 into a 1.4m/s headwind, and since her personal best over 100m is 11.68, you can tell that the girl is running pretty well. She beat her training partner , who can go under 12 seconds, so it was pretty good.

"We'll have to see want the weather does. Manchester being Manchester it might be wet, and it's windy in Sheffield at the moment. The odds slightly favour Christine, but we'll see.

"For Jess, as a heptathlete, it's a big challenge to race against the specialists, but it's also great for her. As a warm-up for her next heptathlon in Gotzis, as a fun event and as an aim in itself, it's going to be a fascinating challenge."

Darren Campbell - former European 100m champion, and

"The first thing to ask is, where did Jess set her 200m personal best? It was in - not only three years ago, but as part of a heptathlon. For me, that adds around three tenths of a second to what I think she can run now.

"A top athlete always goes into a race with a plan - what are my opponent's strengths and weaknesses? How do I exploit those weaknesses?

"Jess and Toni will have done their homework. They know that their only opportunity to beat Christine is to get out in front. Jess cannot win it coming from behind. How will racing in Doha affect Christine? She'll be slower out of the blocks.

"Christine has that endurance base from running 400m, so over 200m she would pull away over the final 50m. Over 150m it gets interesting. Over 150m straight it gets even more interesting.

"You have to run a straight 150m very differently. When you start on a bend, you can't get to your top speed straight away - you have to stay low for the first 30 or 40 metres, gradually build up your pace and then hit your maximum speed coming into the straight.

"When it's straight all the way, you have to get to your top speed quicker. And you then have to hold that top speed for longer, which is what sets the truly great sprinters apart. Every sprinter decelerates; than everyone else.

"Most people should think Christine will win - but that's what makes it exciting. In Jess's favour, she now carries the confidence of being a . She goes into competitions believing she can win, and as an athlete that's half the battle."

Jason Gardener, former n and

"If Jessica can use her hurdles starting speed and get out fast, put some pressure on Christine then who knows - especially if has been good but not brilliant."

, UK Athletics national event coach for women's sprints

"Most athletes who compete over 100m or 200m will run plenty of 150m in training, so they're well used to the distance in any kind of guise. It's a staple that all sprinters will do. If you want to run fast 200s, it's a great indicator to run sub 15 seconds if you're a quality male athlete and sub 17 seconds if you're a quality woman.

"In training on an outdoor track you can either make the 150 up by doing a full bend and half a straight, or half a bend and full straight. To do a completely straight 150m, as they will in Manchester, is quite unique, because you can really get out of the blocks and just let it all out without worrying about the turn.

"The thing about bend running is that you have to approach it in the right set-up. If you run the turn too tight it'll impact on the way you enter the straight and slow you down. For a straight 150m, if you know you're fit, you can just gun it.

"I think it suits a 200m specialist more than a 100m, just because of the mental aspect of having a long straight. As for who will win between Christine and Jess - Christine had to fly to Doha on Thursday, race Friday night, - it might play into Jessica's hands.

"But both of them are great competitors. Christine won't want to get beaten by a heptathlete. I think a little bit of pride might come into it."

Watch Ohuruogu face Ennis as part of the Great City Games from 1630-1800 BST live on 91Èȱ¬ Two and the 91Èȱ¬ Sport website (UK users only); updates on 91Èȱ¬ Radio 5 live.

The event is just part of a big weekend of athletics on the 91Èȱ¬ as the season kicks into gear, with the opening Diamond League meeting in Doha on Friday, Michael Johnson's documentary with Usain Bolt on Saturday and the Great Manchester Run on Sunday morning. .

I'll be Tweeting from behind the scenes all day on Sunday as the elite athletes, including Tyson Gay and Allyson Felix, prepare for the City Games - follow along at