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Former champion Jon Brown still hasn't made up his mind whether to compete in the this year's Spar European Cross Country Championships. The presence of the 1996 champion in Charleroi whose bronze medal finish three years later also led the side to its only team victory, would make him a welcome addition to the squad. Indeed the Norwich Union GB selectors after the side finished third in Heringsdorf, last year - its best showing since the epic Velenje success - are eager to improve on that showing in Germany.

Brown's experience would be invaluable for the moment he is still re-assessing his future commitments after finishing ninth - his eighth top-10 placing in major marathons - recently in New York. "I'll see how I feel in the next few weeks but probably there's little chance of me running the European Cross," said Brown who is based in Victoria, Canada. But he admitted: "I'd like to run some cross country in January," a clear indication that he still feels he can be successful at the winter discipline.

"Sunday was disappointing as I had to stop at two miles and re-tie a shoe lace that had pulled itself undone coming off the first bridge," said Brown of his performance in the "Big Apple". He added: "By the time I got running again the lead group was gone and I had little choice but to run with the second group," said the two-times Olympic Games fourth placer. "The last 12 miles I ran by myself but without any real purpose. I'm not sure what to think about the race yet," although powering through in the closing few miles.   

DAVID MARTIN