MARK Brown is quietly confident of being selected for the World Marathon Championship at Lille, France in July.

The Paralympic star from Clayton Harriers recently attended a training weekend with the National Endurance Squad, and ran the Bath Half Marathon as a trial.

Coach Wayne Buxton was looking for a sub 75 minute time from arm amputee Mark, and he obliged with 72:53 in his first 'Half' for 18 months. The team will be announced in May.

There was good news for Mark's protg Derek Lee this week too.

Derek is the special needs athlete who Mark discovered and coached up to England standard.

After a couple of injury scares had threatened his participation, Darwen Dasher Derek has passed a fitness test and is set to take his place in England's World Cross Country Championship Team.

He will join Blackburn Harrier Richard Robb when the squad flies to Poland next week.