Boniface Kiprop taking Commonwealth 10,000m gold - Melbourne 2006 (© Getty Images)
Zersenay Tadesse and Boniface Kiprop plan attacking the fastest-ever 10 kilometres road running time achieved on British soil in Sunday's BUPA Great Manchester Run (21).
Both men who have already shown excellent early season form, feel equipped to challenge the 27:25 clocking achieved in last year's race by Ethiopian legend Haile Gebrselassie.
Tadesse, the 24-year-old Olympic 10,000m bronze medallist from Eritrea and Kiprop, Uganda's Commonwealth 10,000m champion in March, believe the time is within their reach.
World Half Marathon champion Fabiano Joseph of Tanzania third behind fellow 20-year-old Kiprop in Melbourne and winner of the Great Edinburgh Run a fortnight ago, is also a likely challenger.
WOMEN
Australia's Benita Johnson, the 27-year-old former World Cross Country champion admits the calibre of Ethiopia's former World 10,000m champions Berhane Adere (2003) and Gete Wami (1999) will make them favourites for the women's title. Adere for one will be aiming to match her victory in the inaugural 2003 race.
Latvia’s Jelena Prokopcuka, the New York Marathon champion will also be looking to improve on her second place last year.
