Viren to start London 10km – European Athletics (EAA) – NEWS

Finnish Olympic legend Lasse Viren, will start the inaugural London 10,000m on May 26 and then take part in the British capital's newest road race around part of the proposed marathon course for the London 2012 Olympics.

Viren became one of the greatest ever Olympic athletes when he pulled off an extraordinary double-double, winning the 5,000m and 10,000m at both the 1972 and 1976 Games.

Among the British athletes he beat were Brendan Foster and David Bedford, who are both closely involved in the organisation of this new event.

Viren said:
"It is a great honour to be asked to start this new 10km road race in London.

"It's been a long time since I was winning Olympic races but I'm excited to have the chance to get this great new event underway and then run along part of the proposed route of the 2012 Olympic marathon races with my son Matti."

Up to 12,500 people are expected to start the run which will begin in Birdcage Walk and take in Parliament Square, Victoria Embankment, the City, St Paul's Cathedral and Trafalgar Square before finishing in The Mall.

"We are delighted that Lasse has agreed to be our official starter for this exciting new event," said Dave Bedford, race director of the Flora London Marathon which is organising the race with Nova International, the team behind the Great Run series, and which was founded by Brendan Foster.

Bedford was the favourite for the 10,000m title won by Viren in Munich in 1972 while Foster finished third in the same event in Montreal four years later.

Bedford said:
"He (Viren) was a legend on the track in the 1970s and I'm sure his presence will be an inspiration to the 12,500 fun runners and charity fund raisers who will join him on this fantastic course."

This year's London Marathon champions Martin Lel and Irina Mikitenko head the two strong elite fields that also feature British runners Mo Farah, Dan Robinson, Mara Yamauchi and Liz Yelling, as well as the double World 20km Road Race Champion Zersenay Tadesse.

Source: European Athletics (EAA)