EDINBURGH: Qatar’s Saif Saeed Shaheen had to settle for the second place in the VisitScotland Great Edinburgh Cross-Country race here yesterday, behind Ehtippia’s Kenenisa Bekele who is on course for another dominating year of global distance-running.

The Ethiopian produced a stunning, world-class display to stifle the threat of Qatar’s Shaheen who is the world 3,000 metres steeplechase champion.

Bekele's victory suggests that whatever terrain he races over in the next 12 months, he will remain supreme.

There was a hint of vulnerability in Bekele in the last kilometre of his race when Shaheen put in a surging burst to open what could have been a winning margin.

But 23-year-old Bekele successfully caught up with Shaheen and then overtook him to record a convincing victory. In the last 200 metres Bekele unleashed a killing burst of speed which saw him finish the race four seconds clear of a superb Shaheen.

"I was expecting him to do what he did and go early - he's done it before so it didn't come as a surprise," said Bekele.

He won in 26minutes 08seconds, six seconds ahead of Shaheen with Tadesse third in 26mins 18secs.