KENT'S European junior cross country champion Charlotte Dale is fighting to overcome a calf injury ahead of the defence of her title in Edinburgh next month.

The talented Invicta East Kent runner sustained the injury during the senior women's 6km race at the Reebok Cross Challenge at Birmingham's Senneleys Park on Saturday.

Having decided not to double up by running the junior race as well, the 19-year-old from Whitstable was forced to drop out of the senior event with a sore calf after barely a quarter of the race.

It tightened up early on as she made her usual aggressive start and, once it became apparent the problem was not getting any better, she took the sensible decision to walk off the course and head for physiotherapy.

Dale, who first felt the injury in training a couple of weeks ago, was able to jog for 50 minutes before leaving Senneleys Park and is due to receive further physio this week.