Darlington athlete Mike Trees has crowned a fabulous year by being voted British Duathlete of 2003.
The 40-year-old was awarded the honour by the British Triathlon Association at a ceremony held at Loughborough University in November.
Trees, who began his athletics career with Darlington Harriers while a pupil at Abbey Road Juniors and Hummersknott School and a student at Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College, enjoyed a string of successes throughout 2003.
He finished fourth in the Duathlon World Cup held at Alpharetta in the United States in June, when he was the first Briton home.
He was also the leading British athlete in the ITU World Duathlon Championship held in Zurich in August and again headed the British team in September at the European Championships.
Trees was placed second in the ITU world rankings published in October.
In 2004 he is planning to take part in the Masters' World 10k Running Championship in New Zealand on April 11 and the World Duathlon Championships in Belgium on May 31.
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