Chebii to defend Phoenix Park title

Athletics : Kenya's Abraham Chebii will return to Phoenix Park to defend his Great Ireland Run title on Sunday, April 6th.

Athletics: Kenya's Abraham Chebii will return to Phoenix Park to defend his Great Ireland Run title on Sunday, April 6th.

In last year's 10 kilometres road race Chebii prevented Commonwealth 5000 metres silver medallist Craig Mottram from achieving a fifth successive victory.

Chebii will be trying to continue his recent form in the build-up to the Olympic Games after a highly successful indoor season on the European circuit this winter.

His major rivals are expected to be Ukrainian Sergiy Lebid, who last December claimed a seventh European Cross Country gold medal in Spain, and top Frenchman Bob Tahri.

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"They will start as favourites and on paper Chebii looks the man to beat," said Andy Caine, the event's elite athletes manager. "But Lebid, who is equally at home on the roads as well as being a superb cross country runner, can never be ruled out whatever the terrain."

Caine added: "Having also got Jo Pavey, Benita Johnson and Aniko Kalovics lined up in the women's race, both international fields are extremely strong."