Double Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele has withdrawn from The Bupa Great North Miles meeting at Tyneside on Saturday.
Ethiopian withdraws after having little chance to train
The Bupa Great North Miles meeting at Tyneside on Saturday has suffered a blow with the withdrawal of double Olympic champion Kenenisa Bekele.
The Ethiopian has had little chance to train since closing his track season in Brussels a month ago after being kept busy celebrating his achievement of being the first athlete to complete an Olympic 5,000 metres and 10,000m double for 28 years.
He had been due to face Eliud Kipchoge - the Kenyan he beat in the 5,000m in Beijing - over two miles on Tyneside.
Obviously disappointed
David Hart, communications director for the meeting, said: "Although we are obviously disappointed, we understand his situation of not wanting to run when not fully fit against world-class opposition.
"But I'm sure we'll see him racing again on Tyneside in the future and one day we'd love to see him compete in the Bupa Great North Run itself."
Meanwhile, Kenyan pair Asbel Kiprop and Janet Jepkosgei have also pulled out of their respective mile races because of visa problems.
