TEENAGE star Ernest Kimeli, runaway winner of the Auckland Castle 10K, could become one of Kenya's youngest full internationals.

The 18-year-old World Cross Country Championships junior bronze medallist, who only left his home near Nairobi four months ago, has quickly caught the eye in Europe.

And his English agent, Peter Hier, believes that Kimeli, who beat three-times winner Julius Kimtai by an emphatic 33 seconds on Sunday, could rapidly establish himself as one of the most thrilling all-rounders Kenya has produced for many years.

Kimeli travelled to County Durham with Midlands-based stable-mate Kimtai after clocking a rapid 13 mins 20 secs over 5000m on the track in Belgium. But his road race debut surprised everyone and Hier said: "He is without doubt one of the most exciting runners I have ever come across.

"He is totally untapped and I can see him achieving great things in the future. He is still a junior but he is very fast, with a lot of natural basic speed.

"He took third place in the junior race in this year's World Cross Country Championships but next year I think he could challenge for a medal in the senior 4K race in France.

"It would be a big step up but I think he has an outside chance of representing Kenya over 5000m in next year's World Championships in Helsinki."

* Chester-le-Street AC's Simon O'Donnell won the Jarrow and Hebburn AC six mile road race in 32 minutes, beating Steven Potts, of Sunderland, by three seconds. The women's race was won by Hannah Wooton (Newcastle University) in 35.19, over a minute ahead of another Sunderland Harrier, Michelle Holt.

* Double North-East sprint record holder Yusuf Aliu, of Middlesbrough Mandale, won the AAA under-15 100m championship at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium in 11.34 secs. English Schools champion Philip Collins, of Gateshead Harriers, won the under-15 high jump with 1.90m.