Jelena Prokopcuka wins the women's race at the BUPA Great Edinburgh Run (© c)
Jelena Prokopcuka, who completed a hattrick of Bupa Great Edinburgh Run victories in 2007, will chase a fourth title when returning for this year's race on 3 May.
The 32-year-old Latvian is best known for her two victories in the New York City Marathon, and comes back to the Scottish capital having already shown excellent form this year.
Prokopcuka will start the 10 kilometres race with the knowledge she has plenty of strength in her legs after winning the Paris half marathon crown last month. She also showed pace over 10km last weekend when taking third place in a hotly-contested Great Ireland Run in Dublin.
With Portugal's European cross country silver medallist Jessica Augusto and the highly-experienced Hungarian Aniko Kalovics in the field, a close contest is on the cards.
Kenya's former World 10,000 metres track gold medallist Sally Barsosio will lead the African challenge, although surprisingly no-one from the continent has ever won the women's title since the meeting's inception four years ago.
Bernard Kipyego, who made one of the world's fastest ever half marathon debuts with his victory in Berlin last weekend, heads the line-up in the men's race.
Despite the confidence gained from that success, the 22-year-old Kenyan will be wary in particular of Boniface Kiprop, Uganda's Commonwealth 10,000m champion.
Dave Martin (PA International) for the IAAF
