Yelling to compete at BOclassic on New Year's Eve

RECENTLY-crowned European cross country champion Hayley Yelling is set to compete at the BOclassic international on New Year's Eve in Bolzano, Italy.

BACK IN ACTION: Hayley Yelling to compete in Italy on New Year's Eve, as will Mo Farah (Getty Images)

The 35-year-old took gold in Santry Park, Dublin earlier this month, just five weeks after coming out of retirement and five years after first claiming the crown in Germany.

But she has confirmed her entry in the 5000m race, where she will meet Hungary's Aniko Kalovics and Sule Utura of Ethopia.

And just nine days later, Yelling will square off against double Olympic champion Tirunesh Dibaba at the Great Edinburgh International.

Kalovics will be looking to break the African stranglehold on the title, just as she did in 2006.

The 32-year-old Hungarian finished second last year, after an impressive season that saw her victorious in the Udine half marathon as well as the Venice Marathon.

In the men's race, Mo Farah and Sergiy Lebid will lock horns, less than three weeks after taking silver and bronze respectively in Dublin.

Ukraine's Lebid, an eight-time winner of the European title, was forced to settle for bronze in the Irish capital before revealing his preparations had been hampered by a groin injury.

Farah took silver for the second year in succession, collapsing with exhaustion over the finishing line, after his pursuit of eventual winner Alemayehu Bezabeh ended in vain.

The Somalia-born Brit required prolonged medical attention and did not collect his silver medal, but he will be back in action in Bolzano.

Farah and Lebid will join a stellar field that also includes reigning two-time champion Edwin Soi of Kenya, the current Olympic 5000m bronze medallist and the clear favourite to complete his hat-trick.

Lebid is the only European winner of the race since 1990 and has five victories to his name.