Winchester athletes Jo Kelsey, Michaela McCallum, Karen Hazlitt and Sara Bishopp were crowned National half-marathon team champions at Hastings on Sunday.

Winchester & District Athletics Club may still be seeking a permanent home, but they have produced several athletes of international quality in recent years, and the ladies' team brought home the bacon at Hastings in fine style.

Jo Kelsey and Michaela McCallum were first and second women overall in 78:20 and 78:39 respectively - no mean achievement in a field of around 8,000 athletes.

Karen Hazlitt finished fifth in a time of 82 minutes, just ahead of sixth-placed Sara Bishopp, giving the Winchester quartet a handsometeam victory.

"It's one of the hardest half-marathons in the UK," said coach Nick Anderson later. "All of our athletes do a lot of training around here, and the hilly terrain is good preparation for Hastings, which is itself very hilly."

"We went into the race as a team, and were chuffed to come away with first prize," said Michaela.

"It was my first half- marathon after a spell out with injury.

"But credit must also go to Nick Anderson, who has been amazing as coach.

"The club is growing all the time, and the hard work now seems to be paying off."

For the future, there's a training trip to the Algarve lined up this weekend, and after that all four girls have their sights set on this year's London Marathon.

Certainly performances of this quality are placing WADAC firmly on the map, and should do the club no harm at all in its search for a permanent track base.