Ben Warren today revealed how Steve Ovett inspired him to victory in the Sussex Cross Country Championships.

Warren, from Hailsham, was first over the 11.8km course at Lancing, just like Ovett in the Seventies.

Ovett, who went on to win a gold medal at the Moscow Olympics, used to train intensively over the South Downs.

Warren followed a similar regime and has put in 100 miles per week during the past two months.

Warren, 22, said: "Ovett was before my time but remains an inspirational figure in Sussex athletics.

"I knew he put in the miles over the Downs. It certainly worked for Steve and it worked for me at Lancing.

"I was 13th in the Southern Counties last year and that was a good run but winning the Sussex title is my best victory because it is such a prestigious event.

"It felt great and it has given me a lot of confidence.

"My next aim this season is a top-ten finish in the British Universities Cross Country Championships next month and now I think I can do well. I felt strong at the finish."

Warren admitted the absence of champion Andrew Robinson (Horsham) through injury improved his chances.

He said: "I doubt I would have won had Andy been competing. It would have been a faster race."

Warren (41min.28sec) won by 30 seconds from Louis Jones (Crawley) with Joel Kidger (Crawley) third a further 17 seconds down.

Warren, Jones, Kidger, Matthew Bristow (Brighton and Hove), who was fourth, and Olly Freeman (Bodyworks, Eastbourne) were in the leading pack in a field of more than 100 runners.

But Freeman, who won the recent Sussex League match at Bexhill, failed to finish the course 24 hours after returning from warm-weather training in the Canary Islands.

The double junior European triathlon and world duathlon champion had hoped to celebrate his 20th birthday this week with a win. But he twisted an ankle at the end of the first lap and retired.

Brighton and Hove pipped Crawley by one point in a nail-biting team event.

It was all square at 64 points going into the last lap.

When Kidger overtook Bristow to gain third spot it put Crawley ahead.

But the city club regained the lead and sealed the crown when David Boyce went in front of Viesters Dude to pip his rival for 15th spot.

Richard Carter, who ran the B and H team, said: "It was an incredible competition."

Julia Downes retained her women's senior title over 6.1km in 24min.19sec.

She won by 14 seconds from Gill Wheeler (Hailsham) with Lucy Brooks (Chichester) third a further eight seconds down.

Downes, who was eighth in the Southern Counties last year, said: "I was delighted. Gill pushed me all the way but I kept working hard. It was a hard but fair course. I was certainly tired going up the hill."

Under-20 clubmate Florence Ray impressed by finishing sixth. The pair helped Brighton and Hove seal the team title by 22 points from Arena 80.

Downes said: "Florence did fantastically well as did my other team-mates."