Dec 2 2010
Reigning Olympic gold medallists Asbel Kiprop and Brimin Kipruto have confirmed they will compete at the Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country in January.
“The distance was dropped from the world cross country championships a couple of years ago, although it was always popular amongst the athletes.”
The top notch Kenyans, who claimed the 1500 metres and 3000 metres steeplechase titles at the 2008 Beijing Games, will contest the international four kilometre race in Holyrood Park on January 8.
The pair will join a global field which already includes fellow countryman Eliud Kipchoge, a former World 5000m champion, who was runner-up over the distance at the last Olympics in the Chinese capital.
"We're delighted that we have already attracted three of the world's greatest distance runners and it supports our decision in reducing the men's international race distance from 9km to 4km." said Peter Riley, the meeting's elite event co-ordinator.
"The distance was dropped from the world cross country championships a couple of years ago, although it was always popular amongst the athletes.
"Now our initiative has seen enquiries from several other top stars keen to take part and negotiations with their managers are already in the pipeline."
Riley added: "Kiprop, although a metric mile specialist, is more than happy to step up in distance and let's remember, he was the 2007 World Junior Cross Country Champion.
"Kipruto hasn't paid any serious attention to cross country in the past but with his steeplechase background, will be extremely suited to a course which will suit his style of running.
"Kipchoge, the first to be recruited for the race, will be returning to the Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country for the fifth occasion and has already expressed his delight at the new distance."
The meeting, which will be broadcast live on BBC Television and is part of the IAAF World Cross Permit series, will still feature the traditional women's international 6km race.
For the first time, the schedule will include a Men's International Team Challenge, featuring Great Britain & Northern Ireland senior, under 23 and under 20 sides against the USA and a Europe Select Team over 8km.
Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country 2011 - New Format
The Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country has changed its title for 2011 and was formerly known as the Bupa Great Edinburgh International Cross Country.
The Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country has traditionally included three international elite races which consisted of a shorter 4km course for men, largely dominated by British athletes, a 6km course for the world's best female elite athletes and a 9km course contested by teh world's best elite male athletes.
The new format for the 2011 Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country will consist of a short 4km course with the best male athletes in the world competing, an unchanged format for teh 6km event contested by the world's best female athletes and the International Team Challenge which will see Great Britain & Northern Ireland Senior Men and Great Britain & Northern Ireland U23 and U20 Men take on the United States and a European Select team over 8km.
Each country competing in the International Team Challenge will consist of nine athletes per team and the first six athletes to complete the course will receive a score based on their position. The team with the lowest overall score wins.