SOUTHEND AC’s Adam Hickey admitted illness got the better of him at the English Cross-Country Championships.

The 26-year-old Great Britain international, who has been in superb form this winter, was labelled as one of the favourites to win the senior men’s race at London’s famous Parliament Hill.

Hickey was well placed in the lead group for the opening of two 6km laps, but when eventual winner Charlie Hulson put down the hammer at the start of the second loop, Hickey found himself distanced.

He eventually finished in seventh place, clearly struggling as illness and the mud and hills of Parliament Hill took their toll.

He tweeted afterwards: “So it turns out you can’t cure man flu with 12km of Parliament Hill!!”

Not far behind Hickey there was a fine run from former Southend High School for Boys pupil Alex Short, who was a superb 19th.

Basildon AC’s Grant Webb will also be pleased with his performance as he finished 138th.

Southend AC had three other runners competing: Alec Kyriakides (868th), Alan Monte (1,353) and Peter Binns (1,432).

Pitsea RC had four runners competing: Jack Morris (941st), Mike Woodward (1,278th), Don Sinclair (1,895th) and Pete McLaughlin (1,913th).

There was not too much south Essex representation in the senior women’s race.

Southend AC had Natasha Lagden (300th) and Debbielyn Hallam (622nd) racing while Pitsea had Terri Howe (686th), Val Sinclair (707th), Helen Williams (791st), Gill Harrison (799th) and Teresa Flannigan (830th) all competing.

In the junior sections, there were terrific runs from Gemma Holloway and Tom Richardson.

Thurrock Harrier Holloway finished eighth in the junior women’s race, but was the youngest finisher in the top 10 in her first year in the under-20 age group.

Chelmsford AC’s Georgia Tuckfield was 20th while Basildon AC’s Emma Houchell was 44th.

Basildon AC athlete Richardson produced a storming finish to come home 10th in the junior men’s race.

The 20-year-old came past four athletes in the final finishing straight to claim a fantastic result.

His team-mate Adam Houchell was 69th while Southend-based Chelmsford AC athlete James Nadin was 121st.

Southend AC fielded a team in this age group with Ashley Capel (105th), Joe Ray (132nd), Ben Franklin (158th) and Dominic Le Mare (167th) helping them to finish ninth overall.

Henry Snell was just outside the scoring positions in 182nd.

The Seasiders also had a team in the under-15 boys race where the squad packed tightly to finish 22nd overall.

An unwell Toby Wright led them home in 139th followed by a strong run from Craig Wheeler (151st), then brothers Sam Norris (155th) and Matthew Norris (241st).

Outside the scoring positions were Harry Smith (300th) and Mitchell Lawrence (313th).

Basildon AC duo Mason Webb and Sam Walsh were 203rd and 294th respectively with Thurrock Harriers’ Jack Exley 168th.

In the under-17 men’s race George Elliott had a strong run to lead home Basildon’s only scoring team of the day.

Elliott was 27th with Max Jones (94th) just getting the better of team-mate Christian Gray (96th) in the closing stages to be Basildon’s second scorer. Dan Ashley completed the team in 178th spot.

Southend AC had two runners in this age group: Adam Jordan (161st) and Tom Stuttle (261st).

In the under-13 girls, Thurrock Harriers’ Hayley Instance battled hard to finish 65th. Her team-mates Kiera Scott and Amy Raven were 257th and 371st respectively while Southend AC’s Grace Ralston was 381st.

In the under-13 boys Harry Parker (Thurrock Harriers) finished well in 44th place, four spots ahead of team-mate Leon Wheeler with Finley Lowe (140th) and Ben Prior (288th) completing a Harriers team that finished 16th overall.

Basildon AC’s Oliver Lill was 64th while Joseph Hudson was 231st.

Canvey’s Jodie Judd was the leading Essex finisher in the under-17 women’s race, coming home in 33rd place while Thurrock Harriers’ Brooke Mensah was 181st.

In the under-15 girls race, Basildon AC’s Niamh Smith had a strong run to come home in 57th place. Southend AC’s Joanna Rimmington was 81st and team-mate Mia Slesser 329th.

Thurrock Harriers’ had three runners in the age group: Amber Pullinger (184th), Heather Peters (243rd) and Lucie Ball (303rd).

Other results: under 15 boys Jack Exley 168th; under 17 men Sam Smith 193rd; under 17 women Brooke Mensah 181st.