Edinburgh, UKZersenay Tadesse, the Olympic 10,000 metres bronze medallist, is the first top star to commit himself to competing in next year's Great Edinburgh International Cross Country - IAAF Permit - meeting which takes place on 14 January 2006.
The 23-year-old Eritrean returns to the demanding Holyrood Park venue where he competed in last year's thriller and despite his pedigree after finishing third in Athens, was pushed into sixth position behind Eliud Kipchoge’s victory.
"That shows the quality of the first staging of the Great Edinburgh International Cross Country outside of the north east of England," said Matthew Turnbull, the elite athletes director.
Tadesse became the silver medallist in this year’s World Cross Country long course race last March, and after taking sixth place at 10,000m on the track at the World Championships in Helsinki in August, he scored a runaway victory in September’s BUPA Great North Run, running 59:05, the fastest ever time for the half marathon distance.
Now Tadesse has recently again shown good form winning the "25th Cross Internacional Castellano-Manchego" last Sunday in Spain.
Nicola Hedley for the IAAF
