Setback for Stevie means no GB run

12:00pm Wednesday 19th March 2008

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INJURY has shattered Stevie Stockton's hopes of running for Great Britain.

The Vale Royal AC star was hampered by a calf muscle problem during Saturday's World Cross Country Championship trials but still gritted her teeth to finish in the top 20.

Only the first three finishers were guaranteed a place in the GB team.

"It was as we expected," said coach Shaun McGrath.

"She has not been able to train properly since the turn of the year and just wasn't able to keep up with the leaders when they broke for home.

"We all feel for her but even if she had finished further up the field then she still would not have been fully fit for the worlds."

Stockton, 18, crossed the line 14th in the Junior Women's race in front of the Sky Sports cameras.

The trials, part of the UK CAU Inter-Counties Cross Country Championship at Nottingham's Wollaton Park, were not the only races to bring bad luck for Vale Royal.

Another of their rising stars, Rebecca Craigie, left the course on a stretcher after twisting her ankle with a mile to go of the U17s Women's race. She had been part of the leading group.

"I went to the medical tent at the end of the meeting and there were only two people in there," added McGrath.

"Unfortunately they were both Vale Royal runners."

Craigie hopes to be fit in time to run in a Home Internationals race iin Edinburgh on March 29, the day before the World Cross Country Championships on the same course.

"All she said was that she'll definitely be there," said McGrath.

"Her ankle was swollen but I don't think there is any serious damage done."

The club's other international, Charlotte Roach, was 31st on her debut in a Senior Women's race.

Elsewhere Megan Huxley gave her clubmates reason to be cheerful after a magnificent run to finish ninth in the U15s Girls' race from a field of more than 250 of the best runners in the UK.

"I'm absolutely over the moon for Megan," added McGrath.

"She is running quicker times than Stevie was at her age, which is a great sign for the future.

"Not only that, she is still only 13 after moving up an age group this winter so to still finish inside the top 10 is a remarkable achievement."

Kathy Stringer was the first Cheshire runner home in the U17s Women's race, crossing the line 39th in what McGrath described as her best ever race.' For the boys, Chris Perry was in fine form to finish 66th in the Junior Men's category.