A sixth of the way into last year's SPAR European Cross Country Championships' senior men's race, Belgian Atelaw Yeshe Bekele decided his moment had arrived.

He will have just turned 36 but a familiar name could be on the start-list when the competitors are announced for the pole vault at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in G teborg in March.

Jessica Ennis, Mo Farah and David Weir are the three athletes bidding to win the most prestigious sporting award in Britain - the BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

A year ago in Velenje, Slovenia, one team dominated the SPAR European Cross County Championships and as the event prepares for the 2012 staging, Great Britain and Northern Ireland are ready to match their exploits again.

Professor Vesa Harmakorpi was elected president of the Finnish Athletics Federation on Friday.

Defending champion Fionnuala Britton will lead the Irish charge at the 19th SPAR European Cross Country Championships in Budapest, Hungary, on 9 December.