EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS TO COMPETE AT THE BUPA GREAT EDINBURGH CROSS COUNTRY

Recently crowned European champions Atelaw Bekele and Fionnuala Britton will head the European Select men and women's side at the Bupa Great Edinburgh XCountry in the New Year.

The Belgian and Irishwoman after their solid victories at the Championships in Velenje will start favourites in the International Team Challenge  against the Aviva Great Britain and Northern Ireland squad and Team USA in Holyrood Park on 7 January.

For the now naturalised Ethiopian-born  Bekele, his appearance in Scotland's capital will be his first outing as a professional runner having decided to pursue a full time career as from 1 January.

The 24-year-old - no relation to his much more famous and former countryman Kenenisa Bekele - after his dominant performance in Slovenia in mid-December and second position at the IAAF Cross Challenge Permit meeting  a week later in Brussels, will start favourite in the 8km contest.

Bekele is part of an extremely strong Euro men's contingent which also includes Ayad Lamdessem (second), Joe Sweeney (fifth) and Javier Garcia (sixth) at the Championships as well as Sergiy Lebid the former nine time gold medallist who will captain the team.

Their strength in depth suggests they can defend the title they won ahead of the Amercian's and host nation at the inaugural International Match last January in what will again be broadcast live by BBC television.

Britton was a revelation when breaking clear at the halfway point in her competition in Velenje when becoming the first from Ireland to capture the Euorpean gold medal since Catherine McKiernan won at the first Championships in 1994.

Now she will captain the continental side in the 6km race which also includes Spaniard Delores Checa who proved herself to be Europe's fastest 5000 metres performer this year in the women's race which has been added to the programme for the first time.

The Bupa Great Edinburgh XCountry will also feature what will be a very fast 3km clash between all of the current Olympic distance running gold medallists Kenenisa Bekele, Asbel Kiprop and Brimin Kipruto.

Bekele at the 2008 Games in Beijing won both the 5000m and 10000m titles while the Kenyan pair of Kiprop and Kipruto triumphed in their 1500m and 3000m steeplechase races.
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Bupa Great Edinburgh XCountry/Winter Run Timetable

09:10 Senior Women Inter District including Celtic Nations

09:45 Senior Men Inter District including Celtic Nations

10:20 U15 Girls Inter District

10:30 Bupa Junior Great Winter Run

10:45 U15 Boys Inter District

11:00 Bupa Great Winter Run

11:05 U13 Girls Inter District

11:25 U13 Boys Inter District

12:00 Junior Men International (6km) including U17/U20 Inter-District

12:30 Junior Women International (4km) including U17/U20 Inter-District

13:00 Bupa Great Edinburgh XCountry Men (8km)

– Bupa Great Edinburgh XCountry Women (6km)

14:30 Bupa Great Edinburgh XCountry Men’s International (3km)