Chester-le-Street's Morag McDonnell proved her ability yet again by finishing fifth in the Inter-Counties Cross Country Championships/World Cross Country Championship Trial on Saturday at Nottingham.

The Bishop Auckland school teacher finished one place higher than last year and ran 50 seconds faster on the same course in comparable conditions.

Despite being one of the last runners to leave the start area Morag battled her way through to finish only 18 seconds behind last year's winner Hayley Yelling, who went on to finish 21st in the World Cross Country Championships.

Morag said: "I am very pleased with my run, Lynsey Dunn's training got me to a peak at just the right time."

Last year UK Athletics decided not to take a full team so Morag didn't get a chance to run in the World Cross Country Championships.

"What ever the selectors do I am happy with my run," McDonnell said.

Thirsk and

Sowerby Harriers

The latest fixture in the NYSD Cross Country League was held at Richmond School on a cold blustery day with snow in the air. The tough course was muddy in places, and there were only 45 entries in the Senior Women's race. Joanna Jackson was the winner in 21.26 minutes, and Angela Hall, finishing in 11th place in 23.40 was the winner of the V1 section. Pat Kirby came in 30th in 27.16, Fiona Wilson 35th in 28.52, Sharon Keegan 36th in 29.30, Pamela Sherlock 41st in 34.09 and Marian Codling 42nd in 35.13. The women's team was fifth.

Gary Dunn was the sole club representative in the Senior Men's race and finished 22nd in 34.26 minutes.

At the other side of the country, Alan Harman came 203rd out of 393 runners in 1hour 44.45 minutes in the Haweswater Half Marathon, the winner being Ian Fisher of Otley AC, a runner familiar to many in the Harriers.

The next event in the Club Championship is the White Horse Wander Fell Race on March 21.

Norwich Union Sports Hall Championship

West Yorkshire dominated the Norwich Union North of England Sports Hall championship at Thornaby Pavilion winning all four team events. Durham were the top North-East squad finishing joint runners-up with Tees Valley in fourth place. The winning team now go on to the national final in Birmingham in April

Results: U13 boys: 1 West Yorkshire 634; 2 Northumberland 518; 3 Humberside 453; 4 Durham 418; 5 Tees Valley 404; 6 Tyne and Wear 287; 7 North Yorkshire.

Girls: 1 West Yorkshire 581; Tees Valley 541; 3 Humberside 409; 4 Northumberland 396; 5 North Yorkshire 392; 6 Durham 363; 7 Tyne and Wear 290.

U15 boys: 1 West Yorkshire 641; 2 Durham 583; 3 Tyne and Wear 546; 4 Tees Valley 490; 5 Humberside 441; 6 North Yorkshire 270; 7 Northumberland.

Girls: 1 West Yorkshire 672; 2 Durham 580; 3 Humberside 522; 4 Tees Valley 519; 6 Tyne and Wear 502; 6 North Yorkshire 449; 7 Northumberland.

U15 boys allrounder: 1 T Vaulks (Durham) 150; 2 D Ellis (Durham) 142; 3 M Cotton (WY) 142; 4 A Dalby (T and W) 140; 5 U Hameed (WY) 139; 6 M Clarke (NY) 126.

U15 girls all rounder: 1 H Fancis Smith (WY) 15; 2 S Coleby (Durham) 14; 3 E Best (WY) 13; 4 A Little (WY) 12; 5 L Hyde (Humb) 12; 6 E Patterson (Humb) 12.

Overall: 1 West Yorkshire; 2 Durham; 3 Humberside; 4 Tees Valley; 5 Northumberland; 6 Tyne and Wear; 7 North Yorkshire.

Tees Valley

Craig Hall was the star of the Tees Valley U13 boys team in the Sports Hall championship at Thornaby. He clocked a speedy 24.43 to win the 2-lap sprint and soared out to 2.20m for second place in the standing long jump which was won by his team mat Matthew Henry whose best effort was measured at 2.29m.

Alan McGill, who won five titles in the Tees Valley championship, finished fourth in the U15 shot putt with 9.75 and third in the standing triple jump with 7.64m.

Leanne Shaw, who notched up a hat-trick of wins in the TV championships, won the standing long jump improving on her performance last time to clear an impressive 2.19m. Olivia Cook, the TV champion, finished runner-up in the triple jump with 6.12m.

Tees Valley's best performer in the U13 girls was Sophie Broadway, who won the vertical jump with 52cm and claimed bronze in the 2-lap dash with 25.08.

Results: U13 boys: Craig Hill, 2-lap, 24.4, 1; SLJ, 2.20, 2; Elliott Hills 2-lap, 26.4, 6, SB, 63, 7; Elliott Jackson 6-lap, 1:72.6, 6, STJ, 5.70, 7; Matthew Henry SLJ, 2.29, 1*; Ryan Douthwaite 4-lap, 57.3, 3, VJ, 4.7, 3; Adam Gell 4-lap, 58.1, 4, SB, 64, 6; Nathan Marr 6-lap, 1:35.8, 8 WHJ 1.00, 7=; Michael Cocker shot 6.14, 8.

Paarlauf: Tees Valley 3, 4x2 lap Tees Valley 3.

U15 boys: Alex McGill shot, 9.73, 4, STJ 7.64, 3; Shaun Richardson 2-lap, 25.7, 8, SB 70, 4=, STJ 1.94, 8; Derrick Robson SB 64, 13=, SLJ 1.78, 13; Alan Dezou 4-lap 56.2, 10, shot 7.61, 10, STJ 6.16, 11; Oliver Shannon 4-lap, 53.1, 5, shot 6.92, 12; Kristian Francis 2-lap, 25.6, 10=, SB 64, 13=, SLJ 2.22, 6; Paarlauf Tees Valley 5, 4x2 Tees Valley 3.