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Heaton girls spoil the party
SUNDERLAND Harriers were
thwarted in their bid to become
the first Start Fitness North East
Harrier League Club to win the
menfs and womenfs team championships
in the final meeting at
Prudhoe.
The Wearsiders ran away with
their tenth successive menfs
title, but Tyneside rivals Heaton
took the womenfs trophy by one
point after six fixtures. And Sunderlandfs
misery was complete
when Gatesheadfs Kim Simpson
snatched the individual championship
from pre-race leader
Michelle Holt, also by one point.
The womenfs team race could
hardly have been closer with
Sunderlandfs first two counters
in the first four. But their third
runner was 15th for a points
total of 22 and Heaton had their
three counters home in the first
eight for a decisive 20 points.
Sunderlandfs menfs team
made no mistake after a spectacular
recovery from a disastrous
start to the campaign,
when they finished eighth in the
opening fixture at Blaydon.
Sunderland won the next five
fixtures for their 22nd title since
1980. At Prudhoe they beat
Durham City by a comfortable
21 points.
But their defending champion,
Steve Potts, was beaten into
third place for the individual
title by Morpethfs Mark Brown,
who was fastest in his four races
for maximum points, four points
ahead of runner-up Peter Newton,
of Claremont.
Sunderland had the consolation
of having the veteransf winner
in Tom Doughty, who beat
former senior menfs champion,
Stewy Bell (Chester-le-Street),
on count-back.
Sunderland are likely to face
stiffer opposition next season as
arch-rivals Morpeth Harriers
won promotion.
Michael East believes his international
career is reviving
steadily after injuries and loss of
lottery funding almost forced
him to retire.
The former Commonwealth
1500 metres champion has
reached the first of his comeback
targets by earning selection
for the World Indoor Championships
beginning in Valencia
on Friday.
Now the 29-year-old
Portsmouth man is adamant
that with his knee and hamstring
injuries fully healed he
can fulfil his major ambition of
the year and grab an Olympic
Games slot in the summer.
The father of two young children,
if chosen for Beijing, believes
in his ability to again
reach the 1500m final.
That is despite the setbacks
and financial hardships which
almost brought about his retirement
at the end of last year.
His own personal self belief
and that of coach former international
steeplechaser Mark
Rowland, has seen him risk financing
his career, when others
would have quit.
10:03am Monday 3rd March 2008
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