KATE AVERY confirmed her status as one of Britain’s leading distance runners as she finished second in the Liverpool Cross-Country Championships in Liverpool.

The event, which doubled as the trials for next month’s European Cross-Country Championships in France, attracted a high-class field in both the men’s and women’s events.

The women’s elite race quickly developed into a repeat of last year’s European final, with Avery and Gemma Steel pulling away from the pack.

As was the case in Samokov, Steel eventually proved triumphant, with her superior finishing speed proving crucial as she claimed her third successive victory on the Sefton Park course.

However, Newton Aycliffe-based Avery, who is a member of Shildon Harriers, can be proud of her second-place effort as she successfully held off Steph Twell in the closing stages.

“I’ve done the hat-trick,” said Steel. “You can never underestimate the likes of Steph and Kate. I’ve never raced her (Avery) on this course before. I thought I’d slipped up a bit on the final corner, and it brought back memories of Samokov.

“It was my first cross-country race of the season, but it’s got rid of the rust and given me such a big boost ahead of the Europeans. It would be nice to win a medal in France and keep my medal-winning streak going.”

The European Cross-Country Championships take place in the French town of Hyeres on December 13.