Kenya’s world champion Hellen Obiri leads the entries in Saturday’s Northern Ireland International Cross Country event in Dundonald.
The 32-year-old’s entry is a big boost for the meeting which will take place at the Billy Neill Country Park.
Obiri won the World Cross Country title when that event was last held in 2019.
She also won 5,000m gold at the past two World Championships and took silver over the distance at the Tokyo Olympics behind Dutch star Sifan Hassan.
Obiri’s performance in Tokyo matched her silver medal at the Rio Games in 2016 and her last run in the UK saw her winning the Great North Run in September.
“While the International Cross Country here has always attracted classy athletes from abroad it is particularly gratifying that we have got the services of such a star athlete as Hellen Obiri especially given the ongoing difficulties created by Covid concerning international travel,” said meeting organiser John Allen.
“With her win in the last World Cross, Hellen has shown that she has the versatility to beat the best in the world over either track or cross country.”
Saturday’s meeting is part of World Athletics’ Cross Country Tour and the event also incorporates the Celtic Games, Home Countries and British Cross Challenge.
Obiri is expected to be in a class of her own in the women’s event with England’s Kate Avery – seventh at Dundonald two years ago – also likely to challenge for a podium spot along with Scotland’s Mhairi MacLennan.
Last September’s Belfast Marathon winner Fionnuala Ross could battle it out with Una Britton to be top Irish women’s finisher, with Nikita Burke probably also contending in that category.
The men’s 10km race is expected to be a battle with Kenya’s world under-20 1500m champion Vincent Keter and his compatriot Kamar Etiang with British duo Zak Mahamed and Hugo Milner likely to be among those battling for third place.
Mahamed finished ninth in the under-23 race while wearing the British vest at last month’s European Cross Country Championships in Dublin.
Star performers who have competed at the Northern Ireland event since it began in 1977 include Steve Ovett, John Treacy, Million Wolde, Ismael Kirui, Paula Radcliffe and Catherina McKiernan.
