For the second year running, one of the Clay sisters will have to watch the other compete in the European Cross-Country Championships on TV.

On Tuesday Wingham ace Bobby Clay was named in the GB & NI under-20 squad for the Championships in Serbia next month, though sister Alex, also a Sir Roger Manwood School pupil who runs for Invicta East Kent AC, missed out.

Bobby, still only 16, was one of six called-up by GB for the meeting in Belgrade on December 8, though 18-year-old Alex missed out on a second straight appearance.

Bobby qualified for last year’s event in Budapest with a fine run in the trials in Liverpool but was ruled out as she was too young to compete under IAAF rules, with Alex going on to finish 19th in Hungary and help GB to a team gold in the under-20 race.

Bobby finished 27th at the World Cross-Country Championships in Poland in March, claiming junior team bronze along with Alex and IEK clubmate Rebecca Weston.

At the time she said: “Looking back to race in Liverpool in November 2012 - it was quite a turning point, as I finished fourth and knew the top-six are usually selected for the European Cross Country.

“I was so disappointed not to be selected as I was too young, and my sister Alex made the team. It was really hard to watch Alex on TV, but my Dad said I had to make sure I proved I was good enough for the GB team at the World Cross Country.

“I think it spurred me on and drove me harder to prepare well for selection for the World Cross.”

She was fourth in the British Athletics Cross Challenge - which acted as this year’s European Trials - in Liverpool’s Sefton Park on Saturday, two places ahead of Alex.

On the track, Bobby Clay was fourth in the World Youth Championships 1,500m in Ukraine, having been crowned World Schools Champion the previous month in the Czech Republic.