JOE Buckley has announced himself as one of the country’s best 10km runners of his age…and he has only raced over the distance once.

The Warrington Athletics Club youngster put in a superb display on his debut over the distance at Sunday’s Telford 10k race in Shropshire.

Buckley stopped the clock at 31mins 6secs to finished third in the under 20s age group and propel him up to eighth in the UK rankings.

Only Manx’s David Mullarkey and Josh Dickinson of Leeds City – the country’s top two under 20s 10k runners – clocked faster times.

Buckley’s performance is given even more perspective given the fact he was inactive throughout October due to niggling injuries while he spent November gradually building up his training.

Buckley’s time was also good enough for him to finish 58th overall in what was a high-class field flooded with international athletes.

His form over the course of 2019 gave Buckley access to the elite athlete start and his 5km split time of 15mins 13secs is his second fastest ever over the distance.

Trio called up

THREE Latchford Albion players have been selected for international honours.

Adam Wood, Charlie McCurrie and Matthew Nash are all celebrating call-ups to representative sides after impressive seasons.

Having won the player’s player and forward of the year prizes at Albion’s recent awards dinner, Wood has been selected for the North West Men’s League (NWML) Lionhearts squad, who will undertake a tour of the Czech Republic in 2020.

McCurrie, who recently won the Warrington Wolves Charitable Foundation’s under 18s Man of Steel award, and Nash have both been promoted to the England Community Lions squad, where they will link up with Albion half-back Matty Ellis.

Both players impressed during Lancashire’s recent tri-counties victories.

Meanwhile, Latchford are continuing their pre-season preparations as they look to build on a successful 2019 campaign.