Solange Pereira will face one of Europe’s leading middle-distance runners when she bids for a hat-trick of titles at the XXVIII International Mile Berango on Saturday.
Spaniard Pereira meets European bronze medallist Joanna Jozwik as she looks to keep hold of the crown she retained 12 months ago by three seconds in 4:58 from Iris Fuentes-Pila in this European Athletics Road Area Permit.
A year earlier it had been the same one-two, but Jozwik will have a say this time after a fine 2015 for the Polish runner.
In March, Jozwik finished fourth (2:02.45) in the 800m final at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Prague, missing out on bronze by 0.20 and then last month she was seventh (1:59.09) at the IAAF World Championships in Beijing.
Pereira’s fellow Spaniard Manuel Olmedo, the 2011 European Athletics Indoor 1500m champion, is also back as he aims to successfully defend his title in a race which includes the top five from this year’s Spanish nationals 1500m final - Adel Mechaal, Carlos Garcia, David Bustos, Victor Corrales and Diego Ruiz.
If there is a repeat of last year, the men’s race will be another classic because in 2014 the top six were separated by only two seconds.
Olmedo did just enough to beat Zakaria El Maazouzi, the 2013 champion from Morocco, as the pair shared the time of 4:26.