PETER Coates and Michael O'Donovan both members of the successful track and field team at Durham City Harriers took part in this year's ultimate challenge, the World's Double Decathlon championship, which was held in Britain for the first time, at Hexham.

Coates is currently the North-East Counties decathlon champion and was runner-up in a British Double Decathlon last year. After two gruelling days of competition, Coates delivered the goods winning a bronze medal with a points total of 11,469 for the 20 events, a superb achievement.

Meanwhile, Michael O'Donovan, British veteran (O-50) 200m silver medallist must have been inspired by Coates' achievements in the past and decided to give it a go, having never tackled a decathlon. However, he finished 14th overall with a points total of 6,533 which made him first (O-50) World champion, a title he could not have dreamed of a few months ago.

Fellow veteran Bill McNeil won the British Veterans (O-70) half marathon at Wolverhampton in time of 1hr 37mins 26secs having previously finished second (Over-60) in the Dumfries half marathon again in a good time of 1:35.00. He also finished first (Over-70) in the Harrogate town centre (10k) in a shade over 45 minutes, a distance he tackles on Sunday in the Auckland Castle event where he hopes to better last year's time of 42.24 and win his age group.