potential at the international level when he finished second at the British Sprint Championships in Market Bosworth, England yesterday.

Butterfield, who many believe could be a future Olympian, put in a superb bike and run after having emerged in tenth place from the 750 metre swim.

And his performance was all the more impressive given the typical English weather which saw the race take place under cloudy skies in a cold, steady rain and blustery wind.

In the 14-16 age division, 15-year-old Butterfield finished more than two minutes behind winner Danny Plews in a time of one hour, seven minutes and 41 seconds.

But he was forced to play catch-up for most of the race after a relatively poor swim which took place in a cold, fresh water lake.

Butterfield was, in fact, almost three minutes behind the leaders, who included Plews and last year's champion Danny Hayes, when he finished the swim. But he quickly began reeling in his rivals over an undulating 20K cycle route.

By the next transition, the Saltus schoolboy had moved up to third place just 50 seconds behind Hayes but still two and a half minutes behind Plews.

Plews maintained his form on the run and was never going to be caught, but Butterfield gradually hauled in Hayes over a three-lap flat 5K run and moved into second place a half mile from the finish.

Plews' winning time was 1:05.12, with Butterfield second in 1:07.41, Hayes third in 1:07.55, James Hemsley fourth in 1:09.22 and Darren Gwynn fifth in 1:10.14. Some 450 athletes competed in the championships in various age categories.

Brett Forgesson and Anna Eatherley completed a husband and wife double by winning yesterday's Swan's five mile road race along North Shore.

Just six days after finishing as runner-up in the Marathon Derby, Forgesson raced to victory on a hot, humid morning in 27 minutes, 24 seconds.

Top Derby master (over 40) Ronue Cann was close behind in second place in 27:50 while two other masters, Sylvester Jean-Pierre (28:45) and Vernon Tankard (29:06) took third and fourth. Former top runner Mark Perry, dogged by injuries for the last several years, continued his comeback with a fifth place finish in 29:23.

Eatherley won the women's race in 33:08 followed by Alison Cameron (34:22) and Rosa Peichoto (34:44).