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Kenya's steeplechasers face off in Italian cross country meet

Xinhua, January 5, 2017 Adjust font size:

There will be no love lost when two of the world' s best steeplechasers take on each other at the Campaccio Cross Country race in San Giorgio, Italy on Friday.

Olympic champion Conseslus Kipruto and Jairus Birech, who was fourth in Beijing World Championships will roll up their sleeves for the honours in Italy reminiscent of their battle in the Chinese capital two years ago.

Throw in veteran road racer Leonard Komon and there will be a blossom of talent at the event, which is the third leg of the IAAF Cross Country Permit series.

"I have my eyes on representing Kenya at the World Cross Country in Kampala. But I have to prepare well for such competition because they all focus on endurance and preparing one for the season ahead," said Kipruto on Thursday.

The star-studded field on Friday will also have defending campaccio champion Imane Merga of Ethiopia and former Campaccio winners Muktar Edris and Albert Rop.

Merga, the 2011 world cross-country champion, took a close win in last year' s race, edging Hasin Haji in a thrilling final sprint.

Merga achieved another top-three placing in 2014 when he was third behind Rop, who also returns to San Giorgio su Legnano this year.

Rop, the first runner from Bahrain to win in San Giorgio, finished seventh in the 5000m at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Endit