Southend's hugely talented athletics star Adam Hickey capped his first international appearance by proving he is the best in Britain.

The 13-year-old Southend High pupil, running for England Schools in the SIAB Cross-Country home international, won the junior boys race in a time of 15 minutes. 35 seconds -- four seconds clear of his pal and Essex team-mate Andrew Livingstone.

Livingstone had pipped Hickey, a leading member of Southend AC, for victory in the inter-counties championship.

And both had been beaten, with Hickey second and Thurrock Harrier Livingstone third, in the English Schools' Championship by Laurence Cox earlier this month at Chelmsford.

But Hickey, also a high-class swimmer with the Borough of Southend squad, refused to give second best on this occasion.

He admitted after triumphing over the 4,500 metre course: "I got off to a terrible start after being boxed in.

"I did suffer some of the breathing difficulties that have troubled me in recent races, but in the end it finished up as a straight dash between myself and Andrew.

"After losing out in my last two races I was determined to be number one this time.

"It's my last cross-country race of the season and I'm delighted to have won on my first international appearance."

Taking their lead from the performance of Hickey and Livingstone in the junior boys' race, where England had the first five runners to finish, the home country won all four races in Derby.

They added the intermediate boys crown and both junior and intermediate girls team prizes to their haul to leave Scotland, Wales and Ireland trailing in their wake.

Now Hickey, whose sister Maria was due to race for Essex on the same day at an Inter-Counties schools match in Southampton until sickness forced her to drop out, is busily preparing for the new track season.

He said: "I can't wait for it to start. Having just failed to win through to the English Schools' Track and Field Championships last year I want to make certain of getting there this time."

Published Monday, March 25, 2002