Athletics: There are double celebrations within the district after the English Championship fell race decider at Sedbergh in Cumbria.

The men's title went to Bingley's Ian Holmes in dramatic circumstances, and Keighley and Craven's Jo-Anne Prowse won the women's veterans' crown.

Simon Booth (Borrowdale), who has enjoyed a magnificent season, won the event in two hours and four seconds, which meant the 32-year-old Bingley man had to finish in the top four to take the overall title.

Despite a recent heavy race schedule, super-fit Holmes kept Booth and Borrowdale team-mate Gavin Bland in sight over the 14-mile course, which included a massive 6,000 feet of climbing, to finish in third place only 47 seconds behind the winner.

He had team-mate Rob Jebb for company, only three seconds adrift in fourth. The English title was added to the British Holmes won for the third consecutive season earlier this year.

Some of Bingley's big guns were missing from the event, so it was left to veteran Bob Whitfield's superb 21st position, Robin Hors-fall (71st) to give Bingley the team points behind Borrowdale.

Ilkley-based mother-of-four Prowse finished second on the day to give her the title in only her second season of fell running, and a silver medal overall behind Keswick's Angela Brand-Barker.

Prowse's clubmate Karen Slater also performed superbly to finish fourth overall and veteran silver medallist, enabling the Craven club to win team silver behind Keswick. Ilkley's Helen Johnson also had a fine run to finish eighth in 2hr 46min 24sec.

Spenborough failed to qualify for the Northern Area Inter-Club Track and Field Championships next month at Blackpool, finishing fifth in the semi-finals at Cleckheaton.

Dave Carrigan was their only winner in the triple jump with a leap of 13 metres three centimetres. He followed that with a fourth place in the long jump with 5m 85cm.

Decathlete Jon Wilkinson was second in the 110m hurdles in 16-7sec and third in the shot with 11m 31cm. Keith McGhie also played his part with second in the 400m hurdles in 58.7sec.

The Yorkshire Veterans' Track and Field Championships at South Leeds Stadium were a personal triumph for Longwood's Robert Hall, who gained four individual golds in the over-40s section by winning the 100m in 12.1sec, the 200m in 25.1sec, the 400m in 59.6 and the 400m hurdles in 71.4sec.

Fred Gibbs of Bingley won the over-60s 1500m in 5-08-0, and now looks forward to joining up with team-mates Gerry Spink and John Smithurst for an assault on the over-60 team prize in the British Veterans' Association and AAA Half Marathon Champion-ships in Liverpool at the end of the month.

Tomorrow, Spenborough promote the Mileta 10 mile road race from Princess Mary's Track (7pm). Entries on the night are accepted, with a sports bag for the first 200 finishers.

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