DOMINIC Easter is to set his sights on a place in the Under 20s World Cross Country Championships after finishing second in the Herts Schools Senior Boys race on Saturday. After helping St Albans School to glory in Coventry on Wednesday, Dominic, aged 18,

DOMINIC Easter is to set his sights on a place in the Under 20s World Cross Country Championships after finishing second in the Herts Schools Senior Boys race on Saturday.

After helping St Albans School to glory in Coventry on Wednesday, Dominic, aged 18, dominated the Herts Schools race only to lose out in the final 10m to Ronnie Sparke of Oaklands College who finished with a time of 24.08. Dom will now aim for the World trials at Nottingham where he impressed taking second in the Inter Counties Under 17s in 2007. Coach George Harrison said: "Dom led for 7,590m of the 7,600m race. He got caught in the rush for the finish but he ran a good sensible race. To be honest he has been so supportive for the school and put all his loyalties into the school team that he hasn't been thinking about his own welfare. The trials for the World Cross Country Championships are in Nottingham where he ran well last year."

Geoffrey Ewen of St Albans School finished 12th in the senior boys (28.24), with fellow St Albans School pupil Robbie Miles in 13th (28.38). Jon Oxley, of Sir John Lawes School in Harpenden, finished in 22nd with a time of 31.16.

Karis Mimms, of Beaumont School, showed stunning form to dominate the Junior Girls race a year under age and win with a time of 12.13. Kate Barber, from St Albans High, finished second in 12.24 and Megan Steer (St Albans Girls) took fourth place with 12.40. Anna Mackenzie, from St Albans High, finished fifth (12.43) and Izzy Thompson, of Beaumont came ninth in 12.51. Harriet Clifford was the third member of Beaumont School home in 14th spot with a time of 13.07. Lucy Mann (St Albans Girls) came 20th in 13.28 and Ellie Carr (Sir John Lawes) finished 29th in 14.02. Harrison, who coaches Karis, was delighted with her performance. He said: "It was a great display of front running from Karis. She is a year out of age and looked very, very commanding. It was the best I have seen her run."

Hannah Walker of Sir John Lawes School finished second in the Senior Girls race with a time of 13.36, just ahead of third-placed Rebekah Gardiner of St Albans Girls School (13.56). In the Inter Girls, Hannah Johnson from Marlborough School finished eighth with a time of 15.51 and her coach Harrison said: "It was her best run ever." Emily Huxley of St Albans Girls School and Jessica McCormich of St Albans High finished 14th and 15th.

Euan Mackenzie, St Albans School, continued his fine form as he secured a place in the National Schools Cross Country with second spot in the Inter Boys. Euan finished 22 seconds off the winner with 20.25 and more than 30 seconds clear of third place. Elliott Poulain of Verulam School finished seventh and Antonio Razzano of St Albans School was eighth. Ben Parry of Sandringham came 14th and Alex Stride of St Albans School finished 19th.

In the Junior Boys James McMurray of Sir John Lawes School took fourth place with a time of 15.53. Tom Brooks of St Albans School finished fifth (16.04) and both athletes booked their places in the English Schools Cross Country Championships on March 8. Sam Jameson-West finished 12th (17.00) and Wilkie Hollens of St Albans School placed 19th. Georgio Anastasi (St Columba's College), Ashok Mathur (St Albans), Richard Vivian (St Columba's College) and Callum McCafferty (St Albans) all finished inside the top 30.

In the Pre-Junior Boys, Mark Pearce from St Albans School picked up fourth place and James Culley (Sir John Lawes) and Andrew Wheatcroft (Townsend) finished 19th and 20th respectively. Nikita Shah of St Albans High finished ninth in the Pre-Junior Girls, with Abby Smith of Sir John Lawes School finishing 11th, Sophie Bull (St Albans Girls) in 16th and Sophie West (Sir John Lawes) in 19th.