Athletics: Holyrood run for Olympic champions

Reigning Olympic gold medallists Asbel Kiprop and Brimin Kipruto have confirmed they will compete at the Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross Country next month.

The Kenyans, who claimed the 1,500 metres and 3,000m 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 5,000m 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. Now our initiative has seen inquiries from other top stars keen to take part and negotiations are in the pipeline."