HIGHGATE Harriers’ runner Ben Noad just missed out on a place in the Great Britain squad for the World Cross-Country Championships after a brilliant run in Birmingham on Saturday.

Noad (pictured) came eighth out of a high-quality field of 292 runners who took part in the world trials, which doubled as the Inter-Counties championships at Crofton Park.

His time of 36 minutes and 27 seconds was enough for him to be included as first reserve for the GB squad, and saw him finish one place ahead of English champion Steve Vernon (36:30).

The winner was current international Andy Vernon of Hampshire in 35:45, only 42 seconds ahead of Noad – a measure of his impressive run. The Highgate Harrier was eating up the ground in the final stages and, had he gone for the break earlier, he could had an even higher position.

Murray Strain, who ran for Highgate in the Southern Championships, was representing Scotland on this occasion and he came in 30th in a time of 37:21.

Henry Dodwell came 95th in 39:03 and was the third Middlesex county man home. Middlesex came eighth of 29 counties with a total of 527 points. The winning team were the North East with 173 points.

Meanwhile in the Bath Half Marathon, Highgate’s Richard Scott was 15th in a personal best time of 1:09:16. Veteran Stephen Whiting also ran a PB in 36th place in 1:12:37 and another to do a personal best was Maarten van de Hoeven who ran 1:17:24 in 91st place. Also running was Joseph Lowe who did 1:20:32 to come in 143rd place from a field of 10,000.