RISING young Kent runner Camilla Freeman was again in the medals in the English National cross country championships held at Crofton Park, Birmingham.

The talented youngster from Smarden, near Ashford, won the Kent Under-13 cross country crown in Sevenoaks in January and went on to win the the South of England Under-13 title at Parliament Hills at the end of last month.

Freeman, a pupil at Dulwich Prep School in Cranbrook, then faced the best in the country at Birmingham with the 3km race presenting plenty of challenges with steep uphills and fast downhill stretches and an icy wind to contend with.

There were 322 girls in the race and by the first corner the Weald runner had worked herself in sixth place.

After the steep climb that followed Freeman found herself sharing the lead with the North of England champion.

These two broke away and for the rest of the race it was neck-and-neck with Freeman being outrun on the final downhill.

She crossed the line just three seconds behind the winner to claim a brilliant silver medal.

It was all the more creditable as at just 11-years-old she is still has another year in this age group and was the youngest of the top trio to finish.