Great North Cross Country BBC1, Saturday 1445 GMT

The 19-year-old Kipchoge has great respect for five-times world cross-country champion Tergat.

He said: "Back home, Tergat is a hero, it is a great honour to be invited to England and run against him.

"It is great that he is planning to run in the World Cross Country Championships and hopefully I will be in the team alongside him."

Kipchoge, who beat Hicham El Guerrouj to the 5,000m world title last August, is ready to claim another major scalp.

"I am pleased that I have been included in such a good race as Newcastle looks like being," said Kipchoge.

Lebid's having problems obtaining a visa Race director Paul Elliott

"Also it gives me the chance of running alongside Tergat.

"His influence on all of us young Kenyans is massive and as much as I respect him, I also want to beat him.

"He will understand my reasoning and expect me to think in no other way."

The high quality field also includes Kenya's John Kibowen and Ethiopia's world 10,000m bronze medallist Sileshi Sihine.

But Sergiy Lebid, winner of a fourth European cross-country title in Edinburgh last month, looks like missing the race.

"Lebid's having problems obtaining a visa," said race director Peter Elliott. "At this moment in time I've got to admit his presence is looking very uncertain."