THERE was a lament for absent friends in the British camp yesterday

after two low-key teams struggled into the minor places at the World

Half-Marathon championships at Belfort, France.

The British men could finish only sixteenth in a race dominated almost

inevitably by Kenya. Spain -- on $8000 a man -- finished an impressive

second and Italy third, ahead of the emerging Japanese and, even more

surprisingly, Brazilians.

How Britain could have used Paul Evans. Their first counter, Martin

McLoughlin, was forty-fourth.

But it was Liz McColgan's absence which was most remarked on,

particularly noted by the women's winner, current Olympic marathon

champion Valentina Yegorova. The 31-year-old Russian is due to clash

with the Scot in next month's Tokyo marathon, and on yesterday's

evidence, is preparing for a vigorous defence of her title in Atlanta.

Yegorova, like McColgan, plagued with injury -- also a hip problem --

recorded 69min 58sec on a course with its share of uphill features.

Yegorova will be bidding for a hat trick of wins in Tokyo, having

finished fourth when McColgan won there in 1992, and expressed surprise

at her UK rival's absence.

The British women, however, did somewhat better than the men,

finishing eighth, with Cath Mijovic (74-13), Angie Hulley (74-16), and

Scotland's Vikki McPherson (74-27) -- all better placed than McLoughlin.

Non-scoring Pitreavie veteran, Trudi Thomson, hacked 39 seconds from her

previous best with 75-28.

''When I saw the time of 34-24 at 10,000 metres, I felt brilliant, but

I got a bit carried away and was passed by Cath, and then Angie caught

me,'' said McPherson, who will now take three weeks off before preparing

for the WorldCross series. Details:

Men: 1, M Tanui 61min 45sec; 2, P Yego 61-46; 3, C Tangus (all Kenya)

61-50; 4, A Serrano (Spain) 61-56; 5, J Thugwane (South Africa) 62-28;

6, DA Dos Santos (Brazil) 62-32. British placings: 44, M McLoughlin

64-26; 51, D Taylor 64-47; 88, M Flint 66-48; 104, B Hussain 67-48; dnf

B Rushworth. Team: 1, Kenya 6; 2, Spain 34; 3, Italy 40; 16, Great

Britain 183.

Women: 1, V Yegorova (Russia) 69-58; 2, C Pomacu (Romania) 70-22; 3, A

Catuna (Romania) 70-28; 4, C De Reuck (South Africa) 70-34; 5, A

Zhilyayeva (Russia) 70-39; 6, E Fidatov (Romania) 70-39. British

placings: 34, C Mijovic 74-13; 35, A Hulley 74-16; 38, V McPherson

74-27; 48, T Thomson 75-48; 78, K Bailey 80-16. Team: 1, Romania 11; 2,

Russia 23; 3, Spain 32; 8, Britain 107.