LEE MERRIEN is ‘fulfilling a lifelong ambition’ this weekend when he pulls on a Great Britain vest to compete in the 15th Spar European Cross Country Championships in Brussels.

The 29-year-old (pictured), who is widely considered to be the greatest distance runner to come out of the Channel Islands, is flying to Gatwick today before joining up with the rest of the British team to take the Eurostar to the Belgian capital tomorrow.

‘I’m fulfilling a lifelong ambition and I thought it was something that over the last couple seasons was moving away from me,’ said Merrien, pictured.

‘I want to run in these type of events on a regular basis. I’m not nervous, but maybe I might be when I get on the start line.

‘I’m just excited about it – my first time in a GB vest. I can’t wait to get on the start line and get running.’

Merrien was picked to represent the six-man Great Britain team after his superb third-place finish at the trials in Liverpool at the end of last month.