DERBY running prospect Hugo Milner has the National Cross Country Championships in his sights after storming to the Northern under-13 title in Pontefract.

Milner, who beat second-placed Markhim Lonsdale, of Gateshead, by 20 seconds, was the only Derbyshire winner in all of the age group races at the championships.

And he has more glory in his sights in the prestigious McCain Challenge series of five races.

Having won two of the four so far, he only has to take part in the last, in Birmingham next month, to clinch the series.

With that will come a £400 series prize, in the form of vouchers. Added to those he has already won in the series, the young athlete's equipment costs are covered for at least this year.

Milner also led Derby's under-13s to a team victory in the recently-completed North Midlands Cross Country League, winning three of the four races but holding back and settling for fifth place in the final round as he prepared for the McCain Series race in Cardiff the next day – which he duly won.

These, then, are exciting times for one of the brightest young prospects the Derby club has produced in many years – he is already the fastest 13-year-old in the country over 1500m on the track, faster even than GB middle distance superstar Mo Farah was at the same age.

"Hugo is very focused and knows what he wants," said his father, Steve.

"Although his coach is Peter Wilkinson at the club, he has also started doing extra training with Chris Woodhouse and Jerry Hall's group, running with older boys, which is pushing him.

"In the McCain Series, you have to race four out of the five to qualify.

"Hugo won in Bristol, was third in Liverpool and won again in Cardiff, so he only has to finish the last one in Birmingham, which is run alongside the Inter-Counties Championships."

In the North Midlands League series, Milner was supported by good results from Daniel Evans, Andrew Whittingham and Dylan Barnes as Derby edged out Amber Valley & Erewash AC by four points overall.

The under-13 boys were one of three Derby teams to pick up prizes in the league, which was contested this season at four venues: Derby, Corby, Sleaford and Nottingham.

There was a popular victory for the club's under-17 girls, who finished well ahead of Mansfield AC over the series.

Kirsty Shipman – who recently won the under-17 title at the county cross country championships – finished fifth, fifth, third and second, just missing out on third place in the individual listings overall, while Veleska Wills finished seventh, sixth and fifth twice and Rebecca Miller was 12th, seventh twice and fourth.

The trio are good friends and, relatively unusually for athletes coming through the age ranges, have stuck together over a period of time under the guidance of popular coaches Hall and former England international Woodhouse.

They went to the Northern Championships with high hopes but just missed out on a medal, coming fourth in the team event after Shipman finished 12th, Wills 37th and Miller 53rd in Pontefract.

Back in the North Midlands League, Derby's under-15 girls also won the team title, through Jenny Willison, Jennifer Stevenson and Lara Wisdish.

Amber Valley & Erewash won the under-13 girls' prize, through Niamh Emerson, Stephie Lucker-Edwards and Tamsin McGraw.