Stevenson edged out in Gateshead thriller

11:12am Monday 17th November 2008

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GREAT Britain junior international Ricky Stevenson was pipped by the thickness of his vest in a thrilling finish at the Gateshead International Cross Country meeting.

The 20-year-old New Marske Harrier just lost to European Junior Championships 800m silver medallist James Brewer in the senior one-mile event – but there was so little in it that both athletes were credited with the same time, 4 mins 49 secs, with third-placed Gareth Turnbull immediately behind in a blanket finish.

Now Stevenson, who led New Marske to their first national title in the Cross Country Relays at Mansfield two weeks earlier, is aiming to break into the Great Britain Under-23 squad in next week’s European Cross Country trials in Liverpool.

The Teessider, who won the previous year’s junior race at the Riverside Bowl, chose to race in the one-mile event in a bid to hone his finishing speed, and he could not have wished for a harder test as middle-distance specialist Brewer, who reached the semi-final of the World Junior Championships 800m in Beijing in 2006 after claiming the English Schools senior boys title at Gateshead International Stadium, pulled out all the stops to claim victory.

The senior men’s race was won by Dutchman Michael Butters, who beat last year’s winner, Barundian Jean Ndayisenga. They were followed home by Great Britain European Championships hopefuls Andy Vernon (Aldershot), Steve Vernon (Stockport), Frank Tickner (Wells City) and Keith Gerrard (Newham and Essex Beagles).

Brilliant teenager Steph Twell (Aldershot), who is seeking her second junior title in the European Championships in Brussels next month, was a comfortable winner of the senior women’s race, beating Winchester’s Louise Damen by four seconds.

Chester-le-Street’s Scottish 4K cross country champion Freya Murray, who hopes to be picked for Brussels despite missing next weekend’s trial to run for Great Britain in the Ekiden Relays in Japan, was fifth.

Durham City veteran Ian Crampton was first over-45 in the Brampton-Carlisle ten mile road race in a time of 55 mins 28 secs. The race was won by Ellenborough Harrier Ricky Lightfoot in 53.29.

Results – Men: 1 R Lightfoot (Ellenborough) 53.29; 2 B Gamble (Stone Masters) 53.39; 3 R Gilroy (Cambuslang) 53.40; 4 D Kirkland (Alnwick) 54.08; 8 S Potts (Sunderland) 55.51. Women: 1 P Wakefield (Border) 61.44; 2 S Morley (Tynedale) 61.57.