FAREHAM'S Andrew Vernon lived up to his pre-race promise by finishing 48th junior man in the 33rd IAAF World Cross-Country Championships held in the central French town of St Galmier.

In temperatures that soared to 28 degrees centigrade the former Stubbington Green Runner, now a member of the Aldershot, Farnham & District club, led a relatively inexperienced Great Britain and Northern Ireland team to overall 16th in the four-lap race.

Mick Woods, who doubles up as GB junior team manager and AFD coach, had forecast beforehand that Vernon, the Reebok UK Inter-Counties Under 20 Champion, could make the top 50.

And the youngster fulfilled that faith by finishing in 26 minutes and 22 seconds - despite the sweltering conditions.

Augustine Choge led Kenya to overall victory, winning in 23.59.

Vernon revealed: "I wasn't sweating during the race because the wind was keeping me cool, but as soon as I stopped it started dripping off me.

"By the last lap I was suffering from a pain in my quad muscle and my eyes were getting glazed. I could hardly keep them open by the finish."

Vernon's AFD clubmate Martin Mashford finished 118th in 28.59 on his World Cross-Country debut.

FOR TWO SAINTS 10k ROAD RACE RESULTS - SEE TODAY'S DAILY ECHO.