Ankle scare for Merrien ahead of European trials

LEE MERRIEN'S late decision to run in race three of the OSA Recruitment winter cross-country league painfully and frustratingly backfired. On the first of three two-laps of the GIAAC's millennium stone course, the island's number one distance runner went over on an ankle and pulled out, leaving Steve Dawes free to take the Division One honours.

With the European trials in Liverpool just a week away it was the worst possible time to pick up an injury, but Merrien was hopeful he will recover in time to race next weekend in what doubles as the second race in the UK Cross Challenge.

'It's not too bad.

'I went over on it on the downhill stretch down towards the Mirage near the mile mark. It was painful but I was able to jog a bit on the way back. I should be all right in a few days.'

Merrien walked back to the start/finish point back at Lucksall and while he was dressing on a distinctly cold afternoon Dawes gradually stretched away from Dave Dyke to claim outright victory and a grip on the Division One table.

The two were locked together at the end of the first lap which they covered in exactly 11min., eight seconds clear of Tim Coates.

Dawes upped the pace over the next two miles and had a 33sec. advantage over Dyke starting the final lap.

First finisher over four miles was young Will Bodkin, who again had a cracking run, clocking 23-08 for the four miles.

By the finish Dawes had opened a 70sec. margin on Dyke, while Coates took a comfortable third and Matt Loveridge finished strongly to take fourth from Dave Holmes.

Leading woman was Louise Perrio who was ninth of the 53 senior starters as she crossed the finish line in 24-02 for two laps.

Just over a minute behind her was junior Sarah Mercier who once again staved off the challenge of Martine Scholes.

Kerry Robin, who began the day vying for the Division Three lead, enjoyed her maiden run in spikes and with rival Tricia Lewis unwell and absent, she ran well to strengthen her category position.