Kiplagat skips European defence for bite at Big Apple

NAIROBI, Oct 20 (Reuters) Lornah Kiplagat of the Netherlands has confirmed that she will not be defending her European cross country title in December as the event falls too soon after next month's New York Marathon.

The Kenyan-born 32-year-old, who broke the world 20-km record at the world road running championships in Hungary on Sunday, is looking to race in her native country after competing in New York on November 5.

''I will still be recovering from the New York Marathon and will also be preparing for the world cross country championships in Mombasa (in March 2007),'' Kiplagat told Reuters by telephone from her hometown Iten, where she trains.

''I have decided not to defend my European title. I am training for New York, which will have one of the strongest fields ever this year,'' she added.

''I also want to run well in Mombasa, meaning the recovery period from New York will be too short to compete in the European event.'' The 2006 European cross country championships are in San Giorgio su Legnano, northern Italy on December 10.

REUTERS PDS BST1821