TYNESIDER Claire Smallwood, who began the defence of her Durham Pine North Eastern Harrier League senior women's title with a victory in the opening meeting at Chester-le-Street last weekend, misses the second fixture at Farringdon this afternoon following a well-earned invitation to run in Europe.

The fast-improving Jarrow and Hebburn athlete, who is coached by Steve Cram's former mentor, Jimmy Hedley, has been selected to run for the North in the Belgium Cross Cup.

Smallwood had expected to miss the Chester-le-Street race because Jarrow had qualified to compete in the National Women's Four Stage Road Relay Championships at Sutton Coldfield, but an injury problem meant that the Tynesiders could not field a full team and decided not to travel to the Midlands.

Although she misses today's NEHL fixture, Smallwood can still attempt to retain her title by taking part in another three of the four remaining meetings after today.

Also travelling to northern Belgium is Chester-le-Street's North-East cross country champion, Morag McDonnell, who will be making her England international debut.

Several other leading North-East athletes will be on international duty in the annual Bahrain Marathon Relay.

Tynedale's Scottish international Andy Caine, Morpeth duo Tom Ranger and Michael Morris, Stewy Bell (Chester-le-Street) and Stephen Hepples (Loftus) make the trip to the Middle East, while Chester-le-Street's Great Britain international Dianne Heneghan will compete in the women's event.

The British teams usually come out on top in Bahrain, but they have been warned to expect a much stiffer challenge this year from a stronger Gulf Region Road Runners outfit which will included medallists from this year's Asian Games.

Sunderland Harriers, who made a winning start to the defence of their Durham Pine NEHL Senior Men's team championship, narrowly beating Durham City in Division One, will be unable to call upon the services of two of their brightest young athletes, junior Lee Browell and under-23 Mark Hood, who will be on international duty in Belgium.

But the Wearsiders have great strength in depth and, on home territory, should be able to tighten their grip on the Sisterton Cup they have held 17 times in the last 22 years.

The meeting, on the course used for the region's opening cross country fixture, the Farringdon Relays, last month, starts at 12.30pm.

l Sonia O'Sullivan may have to join the exclusive club of women who have run under two hours and 20 minutes if she is to win the New York City Marathon tomorrow.

The ambitious prediction came from one of the world's top distance coaches, Dr Gabriele Rosa, the Italian who guides the career of defending champion Margaret Okayo.

With O'Sullivan eager to cover the first half of the race in 71 minutes, Dr Rosa is adamant Okayo - who specialises in running the second phase at a much faster pace - will cover that stretch in under 69 minutes.

Predictably the response that anyone can better 2:20 on what is deemed to be the toughest 26.2-mile course in the world has been dismissed.