The versatile Paul Gilding won the Sussex decathlon title at Crawley.

Gilding's ability to produce results in a number of disciplines helped keep Worthing and District Harriers in Southern League division one this season.

Although Gilding does not contest ten events in league events, it is not unusual for the 6ft 2in jumper/hurdler to compete in five events during a match.

Gilding was allowed two days for his ten disciplines at Crawley with at least half-an-hour between each event, a luxury not received in league matches.

Brighton and Hove's Paul McKeown won the first event of the competition when he clocked 11.41sec in the 100m to Gilding's 11.99sec. However, Gilding eventually won by 600 points with a total of 5,611 points.

McKeown led his Brighton and Hove club-mate David Ingram in the battle for the minor placings until the eighth discipline, the pole vault, when Ingram's 4.20m clearance turned a 300-point deficit to a 200-point advantage.

It was a margin he further improved in the final two disciplines of the javelin and 1,500m to take the silver medal with 5,075 points.

McKeown, making his debut in this championship, finished on 4,651 points.

In the women's heptathlon, reigning champion Elaine Wills from Crawley was unable to hold the 2001 champion Teresa Mainstone from Horsham.

Mainstone bettered her rivals efforts in five of the seven events to win with a total of 3,932 points, 600 points ahead of her rival.

Arena 80s' Caroline Hoyte ran a scorching race behind Paula Radcliffe in the Hyde Park 5km road race. Radcliffe set a new world record of 14min.51sec but Hoyte was the third British athlete to finish behind Radcliffe and European junior cross country champion Charlotte Moore (Kent).

Hoyte filled eighth place in 16min.31sec, 11 seconds down on the Kent girl.

Brighton and Hove's Julia Armstrong finished 24th in 18min.55sec. while Horsham Blue Star's Louise Hoyte placed 36th in 20min.05sec.