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Page last updated at 17:19 GMT, Tuesday, 17 November 2009

Merrien fifth in Gateshead race

Lee Merrien
Merrien broke the Island Games 5000m record by 17 seconds in June

Guernsey's Lee Merrien has finished fifth in his first outing of the new cross country season.

Merrien told BBC Guernsey he was pleased by his performance over the nine kilometre course in Gateshead.

"I would like to have finished a little bit further up, but as it was my first cross country of the season I'm fairly satisfied," he said.

"I'm in a similar position to where I was this time last year going into the trials, so I'm happy with that."

Merrien is now set to compete for a place in the Great Britain team at the trials which take place in Liverpool on 28 November.