PE teacher Peter Binns gave his pupils a lesson that he can practice what he preaches when he finished fifth for Southend AC in the over 50s race at the Essex Veterans Cross Country Championships at Chelmsford.

Binns, from Shoebury High School, had a time of 30.48s for the five-mile course to lead the seasiders home in sixth team place.

He got good backing from Brian Thomas (15th 32.39), club treasurer Dave Lesley (31st 34.15), cross-country secretary Ron Dawson (48th 36.31), Dave West (55th 37.38) and vice-president Tony Bullock (83rd 46.25).

In the younger over 40s vets group, no team spot was available as only two Southend d runners competed - Steve Kemp (27th 31.24) and Graham Weaver (47th 33.10).

Billericay Striders were fifth in the younger men's race with D Jones (12th 29.46) and V Mills (18th 30.38) their top runners.

In the older age group, Striders strode to runners-up spot thanks to S Fulker's fourth spot in 30.36. J Barber was ninth in 31.47 and I Grant, an over 60s runner, was second in that age group and 28th overall in 33.36.

The women's race for over-35 veterans saw Southend, with just three runners- unable to field team. However, there were three creditable individual displays with Linda Mountford (18th 38.37) and mum Val (52nd 58.43) being separated by 47th placed Marion Bullock (47.48).

County joy for local athletes

Both Southend and Basildon Athletic Clubs put forward some outstanding individual and team displays when the Essex Cross Country Championships for young athletes were staged at a wet and muddy Hylands Park, Chelmsford, course.

Southend won one team gold - almost inevitably through their star-studded under-13 boys team where the remarkable Adam Hickey took first individual place - plus a silver and bronze.

Best showing from Basildon - like so many clubs weakened by illness and injury on the day - came in the under-15 girls, where they finished runners-up with Southend also taking the solo plaudits here with fourth place for Kristina Marshall.

This confirmed Kristina's spot in the Essex team for next February's Inter-Counties Championships in Nottingham, where she will be hoping to repeat last season's show where she was a member of the county line-up which won a silver medal at under-13 level.

Among the boys Hickey, under-13 Southend colleagues David Crichton, Mark Bailey and Christopher Lee, plus under-15 boys winner Ashley Humphreys, will all also obviously be making the Nottingham trip.

Such is the strength in depth of the Southend under-13 boys, who ran over two miles, that they were able to field two teams, both of whom finished in the top five. The A team won thanks to Hickey (11.49), second-placed Crichton ( 12.00), Bailey fourth (12.15) and Lee fifth 12.28.

The fifth-placed B team comprised Peter Smale (18th), Keiron Quinn (19th), Steve Balthasar (26th) and a much-improved Bill Sceats (30th).

Humphreys' success over two-and-a-half miles was on 13.08 and he got good backing from Sam Dawson (ninth 14.40), Daniel Quinn and Daniel Schade to take the silver medal behind Thurrock.

The under-13 girls, with some tactical close packing over the two mile course, finished third with Nicole Kelly leading the way in 11th spot backed by Nicole Schade (15th), Natasha Bailey (16th) and Julie Wall (22nd). Lending support were Alice Williamson (25th) and Isabel Finley (29th).

Illness, injury and unavailability meant that Southend were unable to field a team for the under-15 girls and that was a shame as Kristina Marshall's performance - she covered the two-and-a-half miles in 16.04. - backed by Sarah Jeffrey (17th in 18 minutes dead) and Sam Daly (19th in 18.11) could well have seen them among the team prizes.

The outstanding performances by the Southend youngsters is testimony not only to the hard-working efforts of the athletes themselves, but the dedication and enthusiasm of their coaches . . . Ron Dawson for the boys and Graham Weaver for the girls.

Basildon's under-15 girls team silver saw Annie Lingard their top runner in seventh spot in a time of 16.41 with Kirsty Tydeman providing the main backing with 17.09 in ninth spot.

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