|
Kenenisa Bekele will return to defend his Great Edinburgh International Cross Country title in the New Year having confirmed an eagerly awaited clash with Craig Mottram.
Bekele who completed an unprecedented fifth IAAF World Cross Country long and short course double this year in Fukuoka, has a major score to settle with his Australian rival.
Mottram with an inspirational performance, surprisingly defended his IAAF World Cup 3000 metres title when beating Bekele in September, where he lowered the Oceania record in Athens.
Bekele took the unexpected defeat firmly on the chin, but the 24-year-old Ethiopian superstar's defeat will see him very determined to assert his past authority over Mottram on January 13.
The meeting's elite athletics director, Matthew Turnbull, said: "It's a very tasty head-to-head and I'm certain likely to be the first time they have met since Mottram's shock win in Athens.
"Both know they will be facing each other but at the same time are well aware there will be several other global stars drafted in to make the race even more competitive."
Bekele needs no reminding of the quality of the opposition he will face in Holyrood Park after almost losing a long unbeaten sequence of cross country races last January.
The World 3000m Steeplechase champion Saif Saaeed Shaheen, with 800 metres of the contest remaining held a 10m advantage and looked set to inflict the first cross country defeat on Bekele since 2001.
Bekele refused to panic and gradually tracked down Qatar's world 3000m record holder, then with an unmatchable turn of pace eased past to score a nailbiting success.
"Kenenisa knows we're planning to host another strength-in-depth nine kilometres race again in the New Year and was delighted to accept an invitation to return to Edinburgh."
Turnbull said he has other star names lined-up and is hoping to announce more major signings for not only the men's but women's 6K race in the next few weeks.
It’s not only the professionals in action on 13th January the day starts with the Great Winter Run, a five km road race for club and fun runners of all abilities.
The scenic course attracted over 1500 runners this year and is already on course for a record breaking number of entries in 2007.
The days proceedings begin with the Tesco Junior Great Winter Run, a 2.4km multi terrain course for children aged 7 – 13 years of age.
Entries for the event are still open and anyone that wants to take part can apply on line at www.greatrun.org or call the event hotline 0191 2727033.
Source Great Edinburgh XCountry
|
