Dean Lacy (Cambridge Harriers) was victorious during the annual Kent Cross Country Championships at the Kent County Showground, Detling, on Saturday.

Lacy and Mike Coleman (M&M) and battled for the senior men’s gold medal with Will Levett (Tonbridge) never out of the running.

Coleman, defending six consecutive titles, led from the gun but was shadowed by Lacy (pictured), who had comprehensively beaten his Kent rival two weeks earlier in the Southern Championships at Parliament Hill.

Halfway into the four-lap race, the pressure seemed to be getting to Lacy as Levett briefly slipped into second place. With a lap to go, Lacy had revived and into the final section through the woods, it was clear that he was hanging on as Coleman began his final push for an historic seventh victory.

The final 200m was classic cross country as the 2.19 marathon strength of Coleman was pitted against the 1500m track speed of the younger athlete.

With 100m left, Coleman had a yard but with every stride Lacy inched back into contention and a final lunge took him past the champion.

Both athletes were given the same time and historians could not remember a closer finish.

Levett was clear for the bronze medal to set his team up for the team prize. The top six was completed by Kent AC’s James Connor and John Gilbert who were split by Ben Whiffen of Tonbridge. The winning team was completed by Steve Fennell (7th), Huw Evans (9th) and Julian Rendall (10th).

Team silver was salvaged for Medway and Maidstone by Tom Collins (8th), Ben Tyler (15th), Dan Evans (16th), Adrian Lowther (18th) and M40 Barry Royden (23rd).

Full championship report in this Friday's Kent Messenger