DARTFORD Harrier Matthew Withey finished 10th in the English Schools Cross Country Championships on Saturday, missing out on a national team place by just four seconds.

It was a terrific performance which built on his recent Kent Schools Championship win.

Also over country, senior lady Nicola Thompson was the highest-placed Dartford athlete in the Reebok National races in Cardiff on March 1. She finished 39th out of 185 runners over the 8km course.

q On the roads the Harriers performed well at the Thanet 20 mile event on Sunday.

The event was held in conjunction with the Kent Championship and the Harriers came away with a hatful of medals.

Steve Game won silver, completeing the two laps on the outskirts of Manston Airport in 1:59:08. Bob Heywood won gold in the Over 60 category, with Bob Scott taking silver at O50.

Maureen Guard's time of 3:18 won her another gold in the O55 event and Maureen Farmer's 3:03 was enough for O50 bronze.

q At the Leamington Spa Molly Barnet Open Walking Race, Natasha Fox and Charlotte Curtis claimed first and second in the U13s. Fox timed 11:55 and Curtis 12 minutes over the 2km course.

In the U20 age group Rebecca Tisshaw is now ranked number one in the UK over 3km indoors (14:51.66).

At U15 level Nichola Phillips has gained three top rankings - 3km track (15:26.63), 3km road (15:20) and 2km road (9:51).

In the U13s Natasha Fox is ranked one for 1km track (5:31.2), while Charlotte Curtis is also well-placed - sixth for her 3km track time of 19:18.22 and fourth over 1km road (5:31).

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.