KENT'S European Junior Cross-Country champion Charlotte Dale will be hoping to shrug off recent injury problems when she defends her title in Edinburgh on Sunday.

The Invicta East Kent athlete from Whitstable has seen her preparations for the championships interrupted by calf problems.

And the 19-year-old does not go into the race overly confident of successfully defending the title she won in Croatia last year.

She said: "I got up to 90 miles a week in training, before the problems started. I've cut down to between 50 and 60 a week up to the championships.

"I'll never forget last year's race. I really didn't think I would win it. I never believed I would be able to run against the gales blowing that day. I think people were surprised when little me won."

Despite the best efforts of two doctors, two masseurs and a mini army of physiotherapists, her calf soreness has forced her to drop out of two of her races in preparation for Edinburgh.

But she did manage to finish fifth among the senior women in the Dunkirk international meeting, France, on Sunday, November 30.

Dale said: "I don't feel very confident, but I would love to win it in front of a home crowd. I have been in better shape. It's just a case of getting these calves right and feeling good on the day."

Dale and her GB team-mates face star-studded opposition as they also strive to strike gold team gold. Among the rivals are three of the track golden girls from this summer's European Junior Championships, including the athletes who pushed Dale into third place in the 5,000m.

Silvia La Barbera, who won the race, is in the Italy team, but an even greater danger could come from Inna Polushkina (Latvia), who won the 3,000m title as well as the 5,000m silver medal in Tampere, Finland.

Catalina Opera, who won the 2,000m steeplechase title in a world junior record time, is also in the field. She is in a Romanian team that also includes 1,500m bronze medallist Corina Dumbrevean.

However, the British junior girls' team is hopeful of upholding its proud tradition in the championships.

Dale and Dani Barnes helped win the team gold medals in Medulin 12 months ago to follow the team silver medals in 2000 and 2001. The junior women's 4,520m race starts at 11.30am.