1988 Gateshead, the first ever trial for GB team for World Cross-Country (up to 1987, Northern Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales send their own teams). An ‘unknown’ Deon McNeilly led from start to the last 150 metres surprising all the pundits including Brendan Foster who commentating on BBC said early in the race ‘there’s always someone out early for the glory shot on TV’. Deon held on to the very death when Eamon Martin showed his 1500m speed and caught and surged past him to win by 4 seconds in 35:45 with Roger Hackney in 3rd 46 seconds behind in 36:31. The World Cross-Country that year was in New Zealand.

Eamon Martin

Winner London Marathon in 2 hours 10 mins 30 secs in 1993

10,000m (track) – 27:23.06

5,000m (track) – 13:17.84

13th in Olympic 5000m final in LA Olympics in 1984

Finalist in the 10,000m in Seoul Olympics in 1988

Won 10,000m in Commonwealth Games in 28:08.56 in 1990

Roger Hackney

3k Steeplechase PB 8:18.91 – current Welsh record set in 1988

Competed in the Chase at 3 Olympics (1980 Moscow, 1984 LA and 1988 Seoul)

Silver medallist Commonwealth Games in 8:25.15 in Edinburgh in 1986