The two Southend High Schools are on top of the athletics world today after producing stunning performances on the national stage.

While the boys won the junior competition at the English Schools 19th cross-country cup final at Wakefield, Yorkshire - with star runner Adam Hickey taking the top individual honours - the girls were not far behind.

They finished third in their junior competition from the 24-strong line-up of schools from all over the country with their first runner home, Kristina Marshall, collecting an individual third place.

The competition took place in very cold and muddy conditions after a deluge of rain and snow blizzards saturated the hilly Thorne Park course just before the start.

However, that didn't stop the Southend stars. In the boys' event Hickey led from the start and, although overtaken late on by Millfield's Henry Brendon, amazingly found new sources of energy on the back straight to once again go into the lead and win in 12 mins. 41 secs.

Hickey's individual success was made all the more remarkable by the fact that he is only a year seven pupil and was competing against many pupils at least a year older than himself in the field of 140.

It was Southend High for Boys first ever team success in the cup - there's never previously been a local triumph in the boys' events - and other members of the scoring squad which saw them to victory on 61 points - a lead of 12 over their nearest rivals - were David Crichton (15th in 13 mins. 32 secs), Daniel Schade (18th in 13 mins. 36 secs) and Tonashe Sithole (27th in 13 mins. 48 secs).

Matthew Gadd (53rd) and Alan Temple (57th) . . . both timed at 14 mins. 14 secs, completed the Southend line-up.

The performance of the girls was equally enthralling with Kristina Marshall, lying fifth as the field came over the final hill, finally overtaking Nicola Maddick, from last year's team winners, Wolfreton, East Yorks, for that coveted third spot individually just before the line.

They were both timed at 8 mins. 44 secs and the Southend girl was backed by scoring team-mates Joanna Butterworth (26th) and Alice Williamson (27th) - both in 9 mins. 27 secs. - and Nicola Schade (60th in 9 mins. 54 secs).

They took their third spot with 116 points and completing the Southend team were Kirsten Furley (80th in 10 mins. 11secs) and Rebecca Hockley (83rd in 10 mins. 14 secs) from a field of 136.

The junior girls' team prize has only been won once locally, by Rayleigh's Fitzwimarc back in 1990, while Southend High took the intermediate girls award in 1996.

Fitz, who fielded three teams in all here, King John, Thundersley's intermediate girls and Southend High's intermediate boys all produced their own muddy marvels at Wakefield without getting among the top prizes.

(Right) National champion - Adam Hickey

(Left) Bronze glory - Southend High School for Girls took third place in the junior girls competition in Yorkshire

Pictures: LUAN MARSHALL

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.