SICHEL TAKES WORLD BRONZE/EUROPEAN SILVER IN AGE GROUP WITH 133.4 MILES IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

Sanday's international ultra distance runner William Sichel (Orkney AC ), returned home on Tuesday morning with the World bronze medal in the men's over 50 category from last weekend's World & European 24 hour Championships in Brno , Czech Republic.

William completed 133.4 miles to come 27th overall in the World Championships from 122 finishers and 3rd in his age group. In the classification for the European Championships William achieved 19th place overall and took the silver medal in the over 50's class.

Competing in cool, damp foggy conditions on an unusually tough course with 12 right angled bends per 0.85 mile lap and significant inclines and declines, William was pleased with his result which is his best ever performance in a World or European Championship event.

"I was delighted to perform well and to produce another run well over 130 miles. I was just 1 mile short of my performance in May in Holland where the course was much easier. I have always strived for some sort of consistency in this extreme event and I have managed to achieve it this year with two runs over 133 miles."

William is a long term member of the Orkney Athletic Club and has represented Great Britain 11 times at ultra distance running since 1996. William set new Guinness World Records for both 100 miles and 24hrs on the treadmill in December 2002. With his wife, Elizabeth, he runs the Orkney Angora mail order knitwear business in Sanday , Orkney.

William is grateful to sponsors Orkney Meat (main sponsor), The Ayre Hotel, The Orcadian and Crantit Dairy (Orkney Ice Cream) and Loganair .

William's running web site, which is being developed as a resource for ultra running in general, can be found at www.williamsichel.co.uk

Picture caption: William Sichel being presented with the World bronze medal (over 50) in the World & European 24hr Championships in Brno , Czech Republic .

Making contact:

William Sichel, Upper Breckan , Sanday , Orkney KW17 2AZ. Tel/Fax: 01857 600421. Mobile (whilst travelling only) 0794 128 3506. william@williamsichel.co.uk Running web site: http://www.williamsichel.co.uk/

Photographs:

Newsline Scotland (Press Agency). Tel 01224 594000. photos@newsline-scotland.co.uk

Ken Amer , Orkney Photographic. Tel 01856 873574, Mobile 07808 961780 info@orkneyphotographic.co.uk

William Sichel, ‘Free to use' photographs can be down loaded from my on-line photo album. Go to: http://www.williamsichel.co.uk/ and click on ‘Photos'.

26/10/04