LEADING North-East athletes Mike Openshaw and Ian Hudspith have been chosen to run for Great Britain in the Chiba Ekiden relays in Japan on November 23.
The duo are part of a five-man team which will run over the marathon distance of 26.2m and go into the event after showing excellent recent road-race form.
Openshaw, who has recently decided to leave Chester-le-Street AC and is looking to join a club competing at a higher level, was a superb runner-up in the AAA 10K Road Race Championships at Bradford on September 10 behind Kenyan Julius Kimtai, helping the North-East retain their Inter-Counties team title.
Openshaw, equally at home on track and road, is a Great Britain international and last year ran a creditable fourth in the Europa Cup 5000m in Paris. The 29-year-old Durham City-based finance officer will run a 10K leg in Japan.
Hudspith's selection comes hard on the heels of his superb run in Sutton Coldfield last weekend, where he helped Morpeth win the National Six-Stage Road Relay Championship for the first time.
The Tyneside teacher was disappointed to miss the BUPA Great North Run after picking up a virus because he felt he was in 62-minute shape, but he rose to the occasion in the relay championships.
Hudspith, the former AAA half marathon champion, started five seconds behind Tipton international Nick Jones, but overhauled the leader to win by 12 seconds, recording the second fastest time of the afternoon behind brother Mark.
He has been selected to run the longest 12K stage in Japan.
l Heaton Harriers stage their annual road races at Wallsend tomorrow, when late entries will be accepted.
Houghton and Peterlee's double World Veterans Championships gold medallist Sheila Allen, who has recorded a series of recent road race victories in the region, will be trying to go one better than last year, when she finished runner-up to Sunderland's Alison Dixon.
Tynedale's Andrew Caine is not expected to defend his senior men's title and the winner could come from a strong Morpeth contingent.
There are seven races for all age groups and the meeting starts at 10.30, with registration at Central Middle School, Wallsend
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