Melissa Hawtin leads Oxfordshire's hopes at the Inter-Counties Cross Country Championships at Wollaton Park, Nottingham, on Saturday.

Junior manager Paul Kelsey believes he is taking a strong squad with him, particularly in the under 13 girls' event.

However, the best chance of an individual medal falls on the shoulders of Hawtin, who took silver in the under 15 girls' event last year.

The senior ladies' team, managed by Angela Briscoe, has been depleted by withdrawals and injuries.

Although Hatti Dean is hoping to run, she has not been in good form this year.

The senior men's team is led by Oxford Mail Cross Country League champion Steve Kimber.

  • DAN Robinson, the Commonwealth Games Bronze medallist and rising star, will take part in the White Horse Half Marathon on Sunday, April 6.
  • WITNEY'S Phil Hails clocked a personal best of 2hrs 8mins 18secs as he won the Milford 21-mile race for the second successive year.
  • WOODSTOCK Harriers veteran Paul Brackett showed his stamina by running in two marathons in two weeks.

Brackett, 49, completed the cross country Steyning Stinger in 3hrs 56mins, finishing as the fifth veteran home.

Seven days later, he took to the roads and finished 29th in the Duchy Marathon in Redruth, Cornwall.

Brackett's time of 3.27.09 was 12 minutes faster than he achieved last year.