SOUTHEND'S international athlete Adam Hickey was delighted after qualifying to represent Great Britain in the European Cross Country Championship junior men's race for the second year running in Tilburg, Holland, in two weeks time.

Hickey, a sixth form student at Southend's High School for Boys, repeated last year's performance in the European trials, which took place in the second of this season's UK Cross Challenge races over a 6.6km course at Sefton Park, Liverpool, on Saturday.

In 2004 he went on to finish 10th and was second British runner home in the Euro event and helped the team to bronze medals.

And after this latest run he insisted: "I think both myself and the team can do even better this time round."