OLYMPIC hopeful Michael Skinner was part of the Great Britain team which finished fourth in the European Cross-Country Championships at Toro in Spain.

The Blackheath & Bromley athlete, 28, is a former 1,500m specialist whose long-term goal is to win a place in the UK team for next summer’s Beijing Olympics in the 5,000m.

On Sunday he was Britain’s third athlete home in 17th place as the team missed out on bronze medals by just six points.

After being tucked nicely in the pack early on, Skinner lost the leaders when the race quickened but nevertheless kept his concentration to finish 12 places higher than last year.

He said: “I am happy with my race as coming here I really wanted to make the top 20. But now, having run, I wish I had come a bit higher up.

“The wind got stronger and stronger and that meant everyone was bunching and got grouped up and it meant you couldn’t get a rhythm going.”