By Mark Stokes

Beth Carter recorded her biggest career win when she led home an English 1-2-3 in the Belgium Lotto Cross-Cup in Brussels.

The 18-year-old former Invicta East Kent member from Westbere, pictured, defied blizzard conditions to triumph over 4km in the women’s under-20 race.

The victory, over a snow-covered course around the Parc de Laeken, provided Carter with some consolation for missing out on a place in the Great Britain squad picked for the European Cross-Country Championships in Portugal last month.

Former Kent College pupil Carter, who is studying sports science at St Mary’s College, Twickenham, was named as first reserve after finishing seventh in the McCain Cross-Country Championships, which doubled as the Euro trials at Sefton Park in Liverpool.

Her father Steve said her failure to make the Euro team had acted as a motivating factor. "I think Beth felt she had something to prove and went out determined to give it her best shot," he said.

Carter crossed the line in 14min36sec, three ahead of her Aldershot, Farnham and District AC clubmate Louise Small. Hannah Walker (Dacorum and Tring) was third in 14.48.

Carter has a busy schedule planned for the New Year, hopefully starting with the Bupa Great Edinburgh Cross-Country Challenge on Saturday, January 8.