AFTER a comfortable win at the Claire Powell track meeting, Bromsgrove and Redditch racewalker Sharon Tonks anticipated a 'Battle Royal' in the first Winter League race at Warwick University.

Commonwealth silver medallist Lisa Kehler, of Wolverhampton and Bilston AC, was among those lining up alongside Tonks.

But the Redditch athlete's fears proved groundless as the Black Country favourite had suffered a severe back injury in a running accident.

Taking full advantage of Kehler's misfortune, Tonks set a very steady pace for the 5km race and won comfortably in 26m 16s.

The pair will undoubtedly go head-to-head in the next league meeting of the series, to be held at Alexander Stadium, Birmingham, on November 16.

The first cross-country race of the season was held at Birmingham's Pype Hayes Park on Sunday.

And there were two outstanding performances from Redditch and Bromsgrove youngsters.

Sean Bowden claimed third place in the u15 boys event while George Savage finished fifth in the u11 girls race. The latter looked to be heading for victory but ran out of steam at the end.

Other placings for the B&R club were:

u11 girls: Phoebe Ahern 56th

u13 girls: Sally Hogan 29th, Thomasine Ball 39th, Laura Porter 47th, Helen Walker 62nd, Sophie Bales 64th, Fiona Davesy 67th, Laura Thomas 73rd, Leanne Savage 85th, Hayley Oliver 86th, Holly Chapman 90th, Beth Vincent 103rd, Kate Gething 110th.

u15 girls: Alice Green 28th, Kelly Oliver 34th, Rachel Savage 49th, Ellie McVeigh 54th, Gemma Dixon 67th.

u17 girls: Peggy Andrews 39th, Hoilam Tan 41st.

In the relays, the u13 and u15 girls were 8th home from a field of 20.

For the boys, their u11 team came home in seventh while other results were as follows:

u11 boys: Alex Dore 27th, Tom Newbold 34th, Natham Simkiss 38th, Arran Bovington 41st.

u13 boys: Chris Warren 22nd

u15 boys: Ben Richardson 29th

u17 boys: James Hood 17th