FIONA Price will again be leading the county challenge in the Virgin London Marathon on Sunday.

Price is one of a large party of athletes from Avon Valley Runners making the trip to the capital and has nothing but happy thoughts about the London event.

Last year the 46-year-old from Westbury slashed more than 20 minutes from her personal best as she finished seventh veteran over 45 in a time of 3:07.48.

Price has carried that form into 2014 with personal bests in the Bath Half Marathon (86:58), the Wiltshire 10 and the Gloucester 20 (2:22.35) while last week she finished an excellent fifth over the half marathon in the World Masters Championships in Budapest.

“The World Masters Championships was the first time I have raced abroad and it was an amazing experience,” said Price.

“I was over the moon with the result as I was not expecting it all.

“I definitely feel I am in better shape than last year so obviously I am looking to run quicker than last year. How fast we will have to wait and see on the day.”

Only former British international Holly Rush was quicker than Price last year in Wiltshire but is not entered for London.

Avon Valley’s London Marathon runners: Pete Slade (running for Breakthrough Breast Cancer), Chris Brown, Juliet Coulson, Fiona Price, Diane Hier, Jackie Rockcliffe, Kate Coney, Louise Fearon, Kev Bush (Forever Friends), John Painter, Steve Cade (Rainbow Children’s Trust), Jilly Evans (Cystic Fibrosis), Tim Lowrie (Chernobyl Children in need), Robin Mark Schols, Frank Lamerton, Richard Newman, Kate Hails (Oasis UK ).

THE Howorth brothers from Hilperton got their track campaigns off to a flying start in the Basingstoke Young Athletes meeting.

Older brother John, aged 13, dipped under two minutes 10secs over 800m for the first time as he clocked a time of 2:09.87 to smash his 2013 best of 2:11.72.

Not to be outdone, 11-year-old brother Rory covered the two-lap event in 2:14.95 which carved off almost five minutes from his best set last year.

Rory also won the 75m hurdles and, to complete a good day for the Howorths, John’s twin Robert was fourth in the javelin.

Melksham Oak School student Will Stockley wasted no time in carrying over the success he enjoyed in cross country onto the track.

Competing in the Yeovil Open meeting the 15-year-old Team Bath runner from Semington clocked a personal best of 2mins 05.8secs in the U17 men’s 800m, shaving 1.58secs off his previous best.

Westbury hammer ace Ellie-J Webb also showed terrific form, the 16-year-old Matravers School student recording a personal best of 52.62m in the U17 women’s event, the third best throw in the country this year to date.

Westbury sprinter William Kennedy, 16, was in action at the Yate Sprints & Hurdles Festival where the sprinters enjoyed huge following winds.

The Matravers School student’s time of 10.98secs for the 100m equalled his personal best – but the wind was just over the limit at 2.4w.

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