Lebid faces tough competition in Edinburgh

Lebid, who won a sixth European gold medal last weekend, will be up against world champion Kenenisa Bekele.

The 30-year-old Ukrainian was the first European across the line in Holyrood Park this year in fifth place.

"I'm looking forward to returning to Edinburgh, although it was a very tough race the last time and I expect it will be again," he said.

In European terms Lebid is a class apart from other European cross-country runners From LS Have your say on Five Live

Matthew Turnbull, the elite athletes director for the meeting, added: "It's good to have a tough nut like Sergiy coming to Edinburgh again to carry European hopes of a win.

"He said before his gold medal in Tilburg he wanted to take part, although he had decided at that point he would be concentrating his efforts on the track rather than cross country.

"Lebid knows the strength that can be gained from cross country training and running and I know he will again be giving it everything after being the only European to finish in the top 10 this year.

"Fifth place was an outstanding performance given the quality of the field."