THE Norwich Union AAA's event at Birmingham over the weekend doubled as the trial for the World Championships, but our only representative from two years ago didn't make it this time.

Eight hundred metre runner Jason Lobo, the Blackburn Harrier life member, had suffered an achilles tendon problem while in South Africa warm weather training, and getting fit for the trials became a race against time.

Sadly he strained a calf during a time trial and couldn't run at Birmingham. His Belgrave team mate Neil Speight, who had been warm weather training with Jason, won the trial.

Two Lancastrians who are going to Canada are Helen Pattinson of Preston Harriers who won the 1500m in 4:14.49, and Susan Jones from Wigan who took the high jump with a clearance of 1.91m.

Former Hyndburn star Kerry Smithson was sixth behind Pattinson in 4:22.74, while adopted Lancastrian Andy Morgan-Lee was 14th in the men's 5000m.