EXCITING Sunderland teenager Malcolm Hassan, considering an athletics scholarship in the United States, is in New York this weekend for the National College High School championships.

The 18-year-old has been invited to compete over 800m and the mile in the three-day indoor championships at the Armory track and field centre in North Manhattan against the best young American middle-distance runners before investigating the various scholarship options available.

In the 800m he will also line up against another guest athlete, New Zealand under-18 champion Nick Willis, who ran a record-breaking 1 min 48.98 secs recently.

Hassan's best time is 1:51:50 and the 1999 AAA Under-17 1500m champion knows he will need to be at his best to finish near the front.

The Sunderland Harrier has only recently resumed full training after being hit by a mystery chest ailment over the past two winter seasons.

He said: "I've felt pretty grotty over the past two winters and at times I've had difficult breathing.

"But now I'm back into training and I'm running as well as can be expected.

"I'm looking forward to running in New York because it will give me the chance to see how the college athletics system operates.

"Ill be talking to college athletics coaches to see what is available and hopefully I will be offered a scholarship."

Before his illness problems Hassan was rated one of the most promising young middle distance runners in the country, winning an English Schools silver medal and winning the Home Countries Schools International title, running the fastest time - 1:52:21 - by a UK 16-year-old for ten years.

Hassan is particularly looking forward to testing himself against Willis.

He said: "I will try to pace myself better instead of going off too quickly at the start and hopefully I will be up there with Nick at the end."

l The annual Wild Boar Chase, due to be held at Ferryhill today, has fallen victim to the foot and mouth crisis and next Saturday's Jack Russell Road Races at South Shields have also been cancelled.

But the North of England and North Eastern Counties Indoor Pentathlon Championships will be held today at Gateshead International Stadium (10am start).