O'Hare hungry for success in Lisbon

COMMONWEALTH Youth Games 1500m finalist Chris O'Hare heads up an eight strong Great Britain team on course for the Junior International Cross Country Championships in Lisbon next month.

The 18-year-old - who finished eighth at the Games in India in October - claimed his first GB vest last month when he competed at the European Cross Country Championship in Brussels.

O'Hare finished 28^th in the under-20 event in the Belgian capital, before making his 2009 bow with a 17^th placed finish at the Great Edinburgh Cross Country last weekend.

Team-mate Nick Goolab came home 12^th at the same event and will be looking to get the better of his British rival again in Portugal, while Tom Farrell and James Wilkinson take up the remaining two spots.

Aldershot, Farnham and District star Louise Small leads the ladies team and will be hoping to take a leaf out of club mate Steph Twell's book after the pair both tasted success at the IAAF International Cross Country meet in Antrim.

Small finished first in the 4k event, as Twell stormed to the 6k crown and will be joined by Lilly Partridge - who competed at the World Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh last March.

Steeplechaser Nicola Hood will compete in her first event of the year as she plots a successful summer track season, while Phoenix AC ace Sophie Coleman will wear her first GB vest after an impressive end to 2008.