ATHLETICS: Sonia medal wait is over.

Byline: BY BILL McGUIRK

AFTER six attempts Sonia Samuels eventually made it on to the podium at the English National Cross-Country Championships at Parliament Hill Fields, London.

Since 2001 when she made her debut in the senior championship, the former Wallsend Harrier has been a model of consistency, never finishing lower than eighth.

It's a remarkable record for the 29-year-old, who is now based in the Midlands and runs for Manchester club Sale Harriers.

As Sonia Thomas, she won the gold medal at the National as a junior in 1999 in Newark which led to two successive appearances in the World Cross-Country Championships.

She had her first outing in the senior championship on home turf at Durham in 2001 and finished in eighth place. She missed out in 2002, but in 2003, at Parliament Hill, she finished fifth.

The following year at Leeds she improved to fourth, didn't compete in 2005 and then, at Parliament Hill again in 2006, finished fifth.

Last year, at Alton Towers, she disappointed by finishing eighth, but last weekend she bounced back with a superb third place at the ancestral home of the National.

"I love competing in the National, it's probably my favourite race, especially when it's at Parliament Hill," said a smiling Samuels after her capital effort.

"It probably all goes back to my time at Wallsend as a youngster when the National was highlighted as the target for the season.

"That ideal has stayed with me all through my career and, although the race doesn't hold the prestige it used to, it is still a very important championship and one I would love to win."

Samuels, not known for going off fast, got away well in her third Parliament Hill National and at the top of the first hill was in sixth place, much to her surprise.

"I got into a good early position, something I'm not known for, and settled down with the leaders. As the race progressed, I was feeling comfortable and by halfway had moved into third place.

"I knew I was in pretty good shape having run well in Italy a couple of weeks before, but the two girls in front had opened up quite significant gaps.

"On the second circuit I managed to cut back the deficit but not enough to trouble them.

"But I'm still pleased with my bronze medal and it sets me up nicely for the Inter-Counties in two weeks time."

Samuels will head for Nottingham on March 7 as part of the North East contingent hoping to repeat her National form and earn a place in the GB team for the World Championships in Jordan later that month.

The Loughborough-based schoolteacher has never made the GB team before, though she did make it when the programme included a 4km race in the championships.

That's something she hopes to put right this time round.

"The Inter-Counties has not been kind to me over the years, even though I finished fifth in 2006 and didn't get selected for the Worlds.

"I've been in the North East team on and off for about 15 years and enjoyed being part of the squad, especially now I live away."

"It was great three years ago when I finished fifth for we also won the team race. I think I'd settle for something like that this time round, that would be nice."

CAPTION(S):

HISTORY FOR HOOPS: Saltwell Harriers closed in a senior women's team in the National Cross-Country Championships for the first time with, left to right, Helena Symonds, Denise Ford, Joanne Gentry and Lisa McDonald; DELIGHT: Samuels