CHARLOTTE DALE achieved her aim of winning a medal at the European Junior Championships in Tampere, Finland, with bronze in the 5,000m.

The Invicta East Kent athlete landed Britain's first medal of the championships when she took third place in 16:07.26, her best yet by almost 10 seconds.

Dale, the European Junior Cross-Country Champion from Whitstable, found herself in an isolated second place as the race unfolded with Inna Poluskina (Latvia) setting a purposeful pace.

But over the last 2km, Silvia La Barbera (Italy) worked her way out of the pack and overtook first Dale and then Poluskina to take the gold medal in 15:52.20. Poluskina hung on for the silver medal, clocking 15:55.69

Dale's medal was the first of five won by the British teenagers in 40 fabulous minutes at the championships on an unforgettable evening.