Meath's Costello earns Great North glory

Eighteen-year-old Colin Costello continued his impressive development this afternoon in Newcastle, winning the BUPA Great North Mile junior men's race.

The Star of the Sea athlete took the under 20 title with a controlled display of road running, beating England's Gary Davneport into second place, in four minutes, 18.50 seconds. Scotland's Ross O'Toole took third.

Meath man Costello, who begins his university career at DCU on Monday backed by a scholarship from the Bill Cullen Sunshine fund, is the reigning Irish Senior indoor 1500m champion and struck double-silver at last year's Youth Olympics in Paris.

Eritrea-born Azmera Gebrezgi, also 18 and now settled in Dublin, finished second for Ireland in the junior women's race. Scotland's Morag MacLarty took victory in 5:00.60.

Tomorrow sees 2002 winner Sonia O'Sullivan compete in the Great North Run, along with compatriot Catherina McKiernan, over the half-marathon distance.

With last year's champion Paula Radcliffe absent, a good run could see O'Sullivan regain her title. "Obviously it's a tough test for me," said the Cobh athlete of Sunday's challenge.

"But I know the course very well and my preparation have been going well."