Christine Prescott (nee Kissack), a leading Manx mid-distance runner during the 1980s, has died in the USA after a short battle with cancer.

She was prominent in local athletics for several years along with the likes of Brenda Walker, Steph Maddrell (nee Quirk), Maureen Oddie and Sian Brice (Pilling).

Christine won the women’s 3,000 metres event at the inaugural Inter Island Games in 1985 with a time of 10min 57sec.

She also competed at the 1989 Games in the Faroes, where she won a relay or team medal (possibly bronze). Brenda Walker won the 3,000m at the Faroes in a record time, with Steph Quirk third.

A clubmate of Brenda’s at Western AC, Christine won the IoM Women’s Cross-Country title and was also a regular in the Peel to Douglas and Peel to Castletown road races.

Christine also enjoyed the Peel hill race at Easter, an event she won at least once, and competed in the 800m at the Manx Games on the grass track at the old King George V Park Bowl.

Except for a season of netball she never really did any other sports seriously.

She got an infection around 1990-1991 which led to her calling an end to running on a serious basis.

Christine taught PE and English at QEII High School before making a transition into special education. She also taught at Ballacottier School before moving to North Carolina in 2003 with her husband John (a former reporter and sub-editor in local newspapers) and their sons Richard and Michael.

John confirmed that his wife was only diagnosed with cancer on June 23 and said that her decline was precipitous.

No date for a service has been set but at some time in the future Christine’s ashes will return to the Isle of Man, the land of her birth and a special place in her heart.

JOHN WATTERSON