VICTORIES in Edinburgh yesterday by Juan Carlos de la Ossa (Spain) and Jelena Procopcuka (Latvia), revived an apparently lost European art.

In a 10,000 metres replete with outstanding Africans, a men's and women's double by Europe took the breath away.

That, indeed emerged as the secret of the 28-year-old de la Ossa who led six African-born men over the line.

The bedroom of his secondfloor Madrid apartment is 11,000 feet up. "I sleep in a hyperbaric chamber, to simulate altitude, " he explained after his victory in 28min 22sec, two seconds clear of the world junior 10,000 metres champion Boniface Kiprop (Uganda) , and world cross-country silver medallist John Yuda (Tanzania) .

De la Ossa's eight hours' sleep in rarefied air is a contributory factor to his best times of 7:43 for 3000m, 13:18 at 5000, and 28:07 at 10,000, and which yesterday delivered Britain's fastest 10k this year.

For the past two years he has finished runner-up to Sergey Lebid for the European crosscountry title. Indeed, one of these was over the course in Holyrood Park which he skirted en route to victory in yesterday's BUPA Caledonian Great Scottish Run.

The scenic route's rollercoaster features made for a race of brutal intensity: plunging descents followed by sapping climbs. Having negotiated an ascent from the Grassmarket, The Mound, and a 2000-metre grinding slog past Salisbury Crags to the Commonwealth Pool, de la Ossa was dogged relentlessly by his rivals, but from the foot of the last rise, from the Grassmarket to Greyfriars Bobby's statue, with just one kilometre left, he scampered clear.

Most Europeans have been tilting at windmills in attempting to challenge Africa's best, but this man from Tarancon, in La Mancha, was aware he had scored a noble triumph. "For a Spaniard, for a European, it's a dream to beat athletes like Kiprop and Yuda, " he said.

The prodigious 19-year-old Kiprop, fourth in the Athens Olympic 10,000m final, was philosophical after a furious sprint, shoulder to shoulder with Yuda, narrowed a 70m gap to just 10 at the line.

"I'm happy. I'm on course to run under 27 minutes at the world championships in Helsinki, and that could win a medal, " he said.

He believes that there is no difference between African runners and Caucasian ones. "I was born and raised at 5000 feet. I lived just 600 yards from my school. Yes, I used to run a kilometre to fetch water for my parents. I ran both ways with two five-litre jerricans, - weight and aerobic training together, " he laughs. "I'm sure the only real difference is living at altitude."

So is de la Ossa. He started by sleeping in atmosphere simulating 1200 metres, and built that up to 3500m. "But only at night. Not for siesta, " he says.

"I've stopped now, but from June 1 until Helsinki, I will be sleeping in the chamber."

Marathoner Paula Radcliffe experimented by sleeping in a hyperbaric tent. Multiple Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong also uses one. Conservatively, at least 1000 endurance competitors worldwide use them. It legitimately improves the blood's oxygen-carrying capacity. Such chambers, when used with increased oxygen concentration, promote healing, and are frequently used in football - famously in the case of David Beckham's toe injury. They are also said to alleviate some symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

Procopcuka looked beaten at half distance (15:57) when Derartu Tulu, the multiple Olympic and world champion, stole a 20-metre lead. "But I noticed she was not so good uphill, " said the tall Latvian.

She clocked 2:22.56 to win the Osaka marathon in January, and was first European-born woman in the Olympic 10k, finishing seventh. She closed the gap and eased home 12 seconds clear of the 33-year-old Ethiopian who was clearly not fully recovered from the Nagano marathon three weeks ago.

Jethro Lennox, Scottish crosscountry bronze medallist this year, was first Scot to feature, but that was in 22nd, just three places ahead of Prokopcuka.

British wheelechair marathon record-holder Kenny Herriot, who has raced four marathons in fourweeks, stepped down to 10k, winning in 30min 01sec, the only Scot to feature among the honours on the day, and over one of the least wheelchair-friendly courses imaginable.

A large number of more than 7000 entrants ran for charity.

Among them was the Hastings family, former rugby internationalists Gavin and Scott, and the latter's wife, Jenny.

Gavin came home 10 seconds clear of Scott, but by completing the course in an aggregate of under 2:20, the family challenge raised pounds-1066 for a new charity, the Ovens Trust, which aims to provide community playgrounds for children.