STEPH Twell led Aldershot, Farnham & District AC to third place in the senior women’s race at the European Clubs Cross Country Championships on Sunday.

The AFD runner was also in contention for an individual medal for much of the six-kilometre race in Portugal.

Twell had broken away from the leading group with Kenya’s Irene Cheptai, who was competing for Turkish club Uskudar Belediye. But while Cheptai, a top-ten finisher in the last two World Championships, carried on to victory, the AFD athlete was passed by Bilbao’s Trihas Gebre, who represented Spain in the 10,000 metres at last year’s Olympics, and Esma Aydemir, who contested the marathon for Turkey in Rio.

Twell’s fourth place was backed up by seventh for Louise Small, 14th for Jess Martin and 18th for Amy Griffiths.

AFD members featured in Hampshire’s senior triumphs at the South East Schools Inter County Championships on Saturday. Robbie Coupland was fourth and Lewis Reid 14th for the boys and Lizzie Squibbs was 11th and Maisie Grice 17th for the girls.

Sam Bodoano, with tenth place, closed the Surrey team that won the junior boys’ title.